


Catching a Glimpse

by NataliaWhite92



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, mind reading au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-01-04 20:06:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 74,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18350795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NataliaWhite92/pseuds/NataliaWhite92
Summary: Kara gets hit with an alien gun that allows her to read minds.





	1. Catching a Glimpse

Kara was mid fight when she got blasted out of the sky. Before then she had been holding her own. An alien had broken free of the containment area early in the morning and she had been forced to make another excuse to leave breakfast with Lena. 

They had tried to have breakfasts together at least once a week but between their hectic schedules it was more often a bi-monthly occurrence. Even so Kara always jumped at the chance to spend time with her best friend. The night before such breakfasts she always had a hard time sleeping from excitement. She chose not to think too hard on that. It wasn’t wrong for her to want to be around Lena, and give her hugs, and watch her lips wrap around the explanation of her new project when she gets the chance to sneak down to R&D. 

Maybe that last one wasn’t completely normal but she blames the red lipstick always coating the brunette’s lips.  
She just really liked being around her. That was okay. She was her girlfriend. Wait no, not girlfriend. A girl. Who was a friend. A platonic girlfriend. That was a thing. She had to ask Alex. She had been spending a lot of time with Sam lately so it was the same right?

She got to Noonan’s and wasn’t surprised when Lena was already there. She wondered how early the CEO got up every morning to look as perfect as she always did. She had never seen a hair out of place or her without her makeup perfectly done but she wanted to. She wanted to see Lena first thing in the morning, wiping the sleepys out of her eyes. She wanted to see her right after she she had taken off her makeup at night before she came to bed. She wanted to see her eating some horribly healthy breakfast while Kara scarfed down her pile of pancakes. She wanted Lena in every variation there was, all the time. 

But she couldn’t have her in that way. She has no idea if Lena feels that way toward her, and honestly she can’t imagine it. But if by some miracle she did, Kara could never pursue it. Not when she was lying to her all the time. She didn’t know how to justify keeping her secret anymore. 

At first it had been for all the reasons that made sense. She had to keep her secret to protect people. She didn’t know if Lena was like her family, though that one still leaves a bad taste in her mouth now. Alex’s constant warnings and lectures and point for point explanation of why it would be a terrible idea. She was still working her way back into Alex’s good graces after telling Winn really. But now all those reasons no longer applied. Lena was her best friend, her closest confidant, her person. And she wants to tell her. She needs to tell her. But she doesn’t know how. It’s too far past the point where it would be okay. She knows Lena is going to be mad but it’s the hurt that she’s going to feel that breaks Kara’s heart. 

She knows Lena will blame herself and all the reassurances that Kara has spent so much time building Lena up with will be for naught. She runs through possible scenarios of how she can tell her but nothing seems right. She just needs to bite the bullet and do it. Today. At breakfast. 

“Darling, I’m so glad you could make it. I know your schedule has been insane lately but I missed you.” 

“I’m so sorry Lena. I’ve missed you too. I know I’ve been canceling so much on you.”

“Don’t be sorry Kara. Don’t give it a second thought. I’m just glad you’re here now.”

“Me too.” 

Kara smiled as Lena stood up and returned her hug. She squeezes her a little longer than normal and just let Lena wash over her. She felt Lena breathe deeply and she tries not to let her hope that Lena returns her feelings flare to life. 

They pull apart as the barista brings over their orders. Kara loves that they know exactly what she’s going to get upon walking in and tries not to dive into her sticky buns too enthusiastically. 

“What were you up to this morning hm? You seem to have worked up quite an appetite.” 

Kara feels the flush on her face and she takes a drink of water to dislodge the piece she is choking on. She continues to cough perhaps longer than necessary to avoid looking at the smirk she knows Lena is sporting. 

“Nothing. Nope. Not a thing. Just woke up and got ready like everybody else.” 

“I’m teasing Kara,” Lena says while still chuckling to herself. Kara would willingly be embarrassed a thousand times just to hear that laugh, though anytime the blush would like to go away would be great thank you. 

“So tell me about what’s been going on with you.”

“Well I’m working on a new story for Snapper, or I hope to be if he accepts my pitch.” 

“Would you like to practice it on me?”

“I don’t want to bore you with the details. I’m sure you’re doing way cooler things than I am. Golly Lena, your new plan for the children’s hospital add on is so wonderful.” 

Kara realizes her mistake as consternation takes the place of Lena’s precious smile. Lena had told Supergirl about her plans. Not Kara. She glances at Lena again as she hastily takes a drink of her peppermint hot chocolate. 

“I wasn’t aware anyone knew about that yet. But I’m sure I shouldn’t be suprised a reporter as dedicated as you got the scoop already.” 

Lena is smiling again but Kara wonders about the hesitation she can see in her eyes. 

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to surprise you. Supergirl mentioned it to me I guess.” 

“It’s okay Kara. I was going to call you later this week about it anyways. I’ll be sure to have Jess send you the press release, unless you would like to stop by for a quote of course.” 

“Yes! I would. I mean, I’d like to see you.” 

“How does Friday afternoon work? Around 2?”

“Perfect.” 

“And what exactly were you and the girl of steel talking about besides little old me?”

“Just normal stuff. She mentioned she had visited you.” 

“I wonder what she thought of the idea?” 

“She thought it was great! I mean she said she thought that.” 

“Good to know our resident superhero is finding my work up to par. I would hate for her to be filling your head with her suspicions of the Luthor in National City.” 

Kara reaches for Lena’s hand without consciously thinking about it. But as she laces her fingers with Lena’s she feels how perfectly they fit together. 

“She doesn’t think that way Lena. You have to know how she only says good things about you. She’s never had reason to doubt you, nor do I.” 

“Your too kind Kara.” 

Kara squeezes her hand once more before pulling back to finish their breakfasts. 

“Kara, is there something you want to talk about? You seem anxious?” 

Kara looks down to her napkin, which she had been tearing to pieces without realizing. 

“Actually there is.” 

“You know you can tell me anything. What’s on that mind of yours?”

“I just. I don’t know. It’s hard. I…” 

She’s interrupted by her phone ringing, the DEO tone that means their breakfast will once again be cut short. She looks at Lena pleadingly but is already being waved at as Lena sips her coffee. 

“Go ahead Kara. I know the news nevers sleeps.” 

She tries to apologize as she rushes away to fight some alien that Alex swears wasn’t let out intentionally to interrupt her date with Lena. Kara has her own suspicions and promises to make it up to Lena once again. 

“Maybe swing by L-Corp if you get a second. We can talk.” Lena offers as she hugs her goodbye. 

Kara, not wanting to make a promise she can’t keep, tells her she will text her and apologizes again. 

She changes in the alleyway and shoots off toward downtown. The alien is a particular type of nasty and while Kara has the fight well in hand she will admit to being a little distracted. But it’s nothing she can’t handle, until it is. She doesn’t even see the gun until the blast knocks her out of the sky. She crashes into cement, tearing a new run down the middle of the street and promptly passes out. 

When she wakes up she recognizes the medical bay at the DEO. It’s happened more times than she would like to count, though she’s sure Alex has a tally somewhere in her office. What’s unusual is how loud it is. So many people talking over each other, she doesn’t know how anyone is even hearing one another. 

“Guys, can you tone it down a little?”

Silence. 

“How do you feel?” Alex’s voice is hesitant and soft. Kara feels anxiety flaring through her body as she takes a mental inventory. Nothing seems particularly sore except her chest where the blast had hit her. 

“Fine?” 

“Do you feel anything different?” 

“Alex, what’s going on?” 

“We don’t know Kara. The gun was destroyed before we could figure out what it did.” 

_Maybe she’ll get a new power! ___

____

____

“I don’t need anymore powers Winn. I’ve already got plenty.” 

Silence. 

“Kara, Winn didn’t say anything…” 

“Yes he did. He just did. Didn’t you hear him?” 

She looks from one face to another, all different degrees of shocked and confused. She feels their worry radiating towards her and looks toward Alex and J’onn pleadingly. 

“You didn’t hear him?” 

“He didn’t say anything Kara. What did you hear?” 

“He just said that I might get a new power.”

“I thought that Kara. You can hear my thoughts?!?” Winn’s voice climbs until the last word is all but squeaked out. 

Kara is hit again by a wave of what she now realizes are thoughts of those surrounding her and she pulls her hands tightly over her ears to no avail. 

“Stop! All of you please stop!” 

“Everybody out!” Alex yells as she makes a move towards Kara. “Listen to my heart Kara, concentrate and just hear my heart.” 

Kara tries to focus, remembering how hard it was when she first landed to isolate any one noise from the cacophony that overwhelmed her. 

She hears everyone else leave until she is left alone with Alex and J’onn, the later quiet even as she peaks toward him trying to hone in on his unsaid words. 

“You can’t read my mind Kara.”

At her stuttered gasp he follows with, “neither can I read yours still.” 

She blows out a breath of relief. 

“Are we really sure that is what she can do?” 

_Fucking shit this can’t be happening. This is the worst. No, it’s okay just keep your mind on this. Solve this problem. ___

____

____

“I mean maybe she just guessed what Winn was thinking…”

Alex trails off as Kara focuses more on her mind. Smiling to herself because this was the coolest thing to ever happen to her!

_Just don’t think about Sam. Damn it. Sam, and her arms. Those arms should be illegal. Aren’t I supposed to be the one who works out all the time. I wonder when she does it. I wonder what she does it in. Shit stop! ___

____

____

Kara bursts out laughing as the things she is hearing paint a not so innocent picture of her sister’s crush. 

“Kara get out of my mind!” 

J’onn rolls his eyes at Alex’s blush and has the wherewithal to look away from the sisters. One still laughing as tears fall down her face and the elder glaring daggers at them both. 

“Is this what you hear all the time??” 

“Unfortunately.” 

“Kara!” Alex’s bluster ruined by the now completely x-rated continuation of her thirst for the current L-Corp CFO. 

“This is so cool!”

“I’m leaving. I’m going to the lab. Kara you stay here!” The door slams as Alex all but sprints out of the room to the sounds of Kara’s growing laugh and mixed groan because who really wants to know the preferred positions of their sibling? 

“What do we do now?”

“I’m sure Alex and Winn will be working on a solution post haste. If the many instances of inappropriate thoughts that are always wandering around in Winn’s brain are anything to go by, he won’t want you hearing them.” 

Kara blanches and decides to avoid Winn for a while. 

Kara has to fight tooth and nail to be allowed to leave the DEO. Mostly it’s J’onn being all reasonable because everyone else is cowering away from Kara after they discover how hard it is to monitor your thoughts 100% of the time. J’onn on the other hand tries to emphasize how much of a bad idea it would be to release Kara onto the world at this present moment but eventually he relents. 

She promises to come back and actually try to focus during the meditation practice J’onn had forced upon her. And she knows that it is probably helpful and that his points about how much thoughts are going to amplify as soon as she takes a step outside the DEO have merit but she also really needs to see Lena. Like now. Right now actually. She finds herself agreeing to everything he says and when he rolls his eyes one final time and allows her to go she flies straight out the open window and toward Lena. 

She knows it’s unfair. She knows that this is another thing she will have to apologize for after all her secrets come out. She also knows that this is the moment she has been waiting for to finally tell Lena who she is, to find a way to do it that won’t break their friendship into pieces too jagged to put back together. 

She touches down outside of L-Corp and quick changes into her civilian clothes, a particularly nice sweater that just happened to be in her go bag and not because Lena had told her how much it makes her eyes shine. No siree bob. 

She is assaulted with the noise of the greater downtown thoughts all at once and she stumbles back. Focus. She needs to find something to concentrate on and with Lena so close it is easier to pick out her heartbeat from the thousands of voices crowding for attention. She still can hear everything, cranked up to a million, but it’s manageable. Maybe she doesn’t need meditation after all. She’s never really been good at being still anyways. 

As she walks past strangers on the street she realizes again how hard it is to ignore their thoughts with proximity. 

She finds very quickly that men are the antithesis of chill. While many thoughts have her wondering about different parts of her appearance, and body in general, at least the women’s thoughts are complimentary in a way that doesn’t make her need to scrub her skin to rawness. 

She makes it into the lobby and has to fight back the headache taking root behind her eyes. There’s just so many people, so many thoughts, but fortunately a lot of catchy songs running through people’s heads. She can’t help but dance a little as she walks past the security guard who happens to be singing La Vida Loca. While she wouldn’t have pictured this as his listening habit she appreciates it. She’s still shimmying to herself as the elevator, thankfully empty, opens to the top floor and she sets forward toward Lena. 

_How is she literally so happy? All the time! ___

____

____

She smiles at Jess’s internal commentary and asks if Lena is busy. 

_Does it really matter? We both know the woman is the definition of useless lesbian and will drop whatever she happens to be toiling away at the second she hears your ridiculously cheery knock on her door._

__

__

Kara can’t help but laugh and tries to smother it as she sees Jess wave her forward. She reaches the door and knocks, how can someone’s knock actually be cheery, and enters at Lena’s call. 

She stumbles again but not from overwhelming thoughts this time. She knows she saw Lena mear hours ago but she is struck again by just how perfect she is. Sitting behind her desk, obviously in the middle of something, smiling welcomingly as Kara walks toward her. 

“I didn’t expect to see you so soon. Did you get the scoop?” 

_Oh no, she’s here so soon. It must be bad, she must be here to tell me something bad if it can’t wait. What did I do? Does she know?_

____

____

Kara bites her tongue to keep from responding to the thoughts instead of the actual words coming out of the brunettes mouth. 

“I did thank you. And I just wanted to see you. I missed you.” 

She doesn’t know how to explain the warmth invading Lena’s thoughts at her words but she lets it fill her as she sits down and prepares. 

“I missed you too Darling. Though I usually go a lot longer between visits. This is a lovely surprise. Did you come to save me from budget reports or was there another reason for your visit?” 

_Please don’t hurt me. ___

____

____

Kara feels her heart clench at the pure desperation coming from Lena that she would never show willingly. She wants to pull her into her arms and assuage all her fears. She wants to tell her everything is going to be alright. She wants to know that it will be as well. 

“I need to talk to you about something. It’s not bad. I hope it’s not bad at least. Darn, I really don’t know. But I need to talk to you. I’m so sorry I haven’t before. I just didn’t want to lose you.” 

_She knows. How does she know? I’ve been so careful. This isn’t happening. ___

____

____

Kara gets swarmed with the plethora of memories Lena is running through at light speed. So many losses, so much loneliness. So much pain. She feels her own heart breaking for this beautiful woman who has survived so much. 

_I did it again. I tried so hard this time. But she knows. She knows I love her and she’s going to let me down gently. Buck up Lena. You can do this. Say something!_

____

____

“Kara, you know you can talk to me about anything. What’s going on?” 

“You love me?” 

If it’s possible to witness someone crumble in upon herself this is what it would look like. Lena leans back in her chair, arms coming to cross in front of herself. Protecting herself. From Kara. 

“I’m so sorry Kara. I know that’s what you want to talk about. I’ve made you uncomfortable. I never wanted to do this and I understand if this is the end of our friendship, I will respect your decision I promise.” 

“No Lena. No. Please don’t think that.” She’s standing and approaching Lena before she even realizes she’s left her chair. Lena looks at her, her heart in her eyes as she waits for Kara to speak. Kara reaches toward her, she can’t help herself. She needs to be holding Lena. 

Lena lets herself be drawn up and into Kara’s arms but she is so stiff. She’s waiting to be broken. Her mind is racing through so many scenarios always laced with condescension toward herself and her reactions. 

“Lena please look at me. I promise I am not here to leave you. I could never leave you. Please.” 

Lena meets her gaze and all Kara wants to do is brush away the tears that haven’t yet fallen from her eyes. Her Lena. So strong all the time. So used to being left behind. 

“Lena, I love you so much. Rao, I never would have imagined that you felt the same about me.” 

_The same? ___

____

____

“Yes the same. I’m so in love with you Lena. I have been for so long, and I’ve wanted to tell you so many times but I couldn’t.” 

“Why?” 

Kara feels Lena tense again at her words, her doubt. She steels herself to tell her. She needs to do this now, but she suddenly has so much more to lose. 

“Lena, I couldn’t tell you because it wasn’t fair before. You’ve let me see every part of you but I haven’t done the same. Lena, I’m Supergirl.” 

Silence. 

_Supergirl? ___

____

____

“Yeah. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you. I promise it wasn’t because I didn’t trust you. I have trusted you from almost the first time I met you. It was never about you. It was about me and my own selfishness. I wanted so much for you to keep seeing me as more than just the symbol I wore on my chest, I wanted you to want me around because of me and not because I’m a hero. I’m so sorry.” 

She released her hold and waited for Lena to pull back. She waited for her to tell her to get out. To take back all the words she had thought and said. She just waited. 

_Laughter ___

____

____

She feels Lena shake and looks down to see tears falling down her face. But when she starts to pull back more she feels Lena grip her tighter and bury her head in her neck. She feels the tears continue to fall down her face and into her skin and realizes with the laughter still echoing in her head that these are not the tears she was expecting. Somehow something different was happening. 

“Lena?” 

“Kara, I’ve known you were Supergirl for ages! Sweetheart, you told me more than a year ago you flew here on a bus! Your disguise is a ponytail and glasses! How could you ever not think I knew?” 

“What?” 

She feels Lena poke the crinkle in her brow and uncrosses her eyes that had been trailing the manicured finger. 

“You knew?” 

“Of course I knew. And I knew you would tell me. I honestly thought it was because you were worried I loved you and were trying to keep your distance.” 

“Of course not! If I knew you loved me… Rao, you love me.” 

She feels soft lips kiss her neck and grips Lena tighter. 

“I do. You silly alien, I’ve loved you for longer than I knew you were Supergirl.” 

“You love me?” 

“Yes Kara. I love you. I am so in love with you.” 

Kara lets the feelings she never thought would be returned surround her. She knew she was crying when Lena brushed her tears off her face with gentle fingers. Kissing their trails from her cheeks. She keeps getting stuck on those words, said three times now, and has a hard time appreciating them for reality. 

“I love you too Lena. I love you so much.” 

“I know. Are you planning on kissing me anytime soon or have I broken you?” 

Kara doesn’t need any more convincing and she reminds herself to not lurch forward too enthusiastically, always remembering the broken noses of her youthful indiscretions, and finally knows the feel of Lena’s lips against hers. 

She feels the give as Lena breathes her in. The softness of them coming together. The taste of Lena, indescribably perfect. When the wet lick of Lena’s tongue touches her lips she actually short circuits and has to pull back. She keeps Lena pulled tight against her as they both catch their breath. 

They stand in each other’s arms, finally holding each other, for an indeterminable amount of time. 

“Kara?” 

“Yes love?” 

“Is this mind reading a new thing or have you been able to do it all this time?” 

“How did you know?”

“You literally answered my thoughts instead of my words. Was it the alien from today?” 

Kara ducks her head down to hide her embarrassment. She really needs to get better at this stealth thing…

“Yes.” 

“Oh Alex must be in agony.” Lena laughs and Kara wants to bottle the sound and keep it with her forever. 

“She’s not really happy. Did you know about her and Sam??” 

“Yes Kara, I knew your almost as unsubtle as you sister was in love with my friend.” 

“Harrumph.” 

This time Lena kisses away the pout from her lips and Kara can’t remember why she was upset. 

“Is she planning on reversing it anytime soon?” 

“I think so?” 

“That’s a shame.” Lena says cryptically and Kara is assaulted by thoughts NSFW. 

“Lena!” 

“Yes Darling?”

“You’re done with work for the day yes? Good.” 

Kara takes Lena’s legs out from under her as she prepares to fly out the open balcony door. 

“Kara,” Lena’s giggles mend every single broken piece of Kara’s heart. “You can’t fly us out in your sweater.” 

Kara looks down and blushes again, starting to put Lena down so she can change. 

“Lena! Stop thinking about those things or I won’t be able to fly!” 

“Well we can't have that can we? Up up and away Supergirl.”


	2. Digging a Little Deeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next day at L-Corp.

“Lena this is a terrible idea!” 

Not even glancing up from her emails Lena can’t help the smirk that crosses her face as suddenly Kara is assaulted with images. The noise coming out of Kara’s mouth is akin to a high pitched squawk. She tries desperately to ignore the loop of last night’s activities Lena is pushing into her head. Though she can’t see the images (Thank Rao for that, her face is red enough as it is) she is living the memories from Lena’s perspective. 

She feels every touch, fingers (her own fingers which would be weird if she had the wherewithal to think about it) tracing down Lena’s neck. She feels the soft caresses ghosting along her clavicle. The goosepimples that erupt over porcelain skin. The quickening of her breath (Lena’s breath? This is getting complicated) as her shirt is removed. 

“Lena…” Kara’s own chest is feeling distinctly tighter than it had a moment ago, her breaths matching those from Lena’s thoughts. 

“Yes Darling?” She still hadn’t taken her eyes away from her laptop but she hasn’t typed anything either. 

“We are at your office.” Kara is trying, she’s trying so hard to not fall completely into the memories, her own mixing with Lena’s as she switches back and forth in her mind. Rao, the ability to feel what Lena did, to experience the emotions the brunette keeps so well hidden from the world. 

“My unoccupied office Kara. It’s not like Steve from accounting is sitting beside you. Though you don’t look like you would even notice if he did.” 

Kara opens her eyes to glare at her… girlfriend? They had yet to talk about labels, or even if last night was going to be more than a one time thing. Though Kara would be kidding herself if she thought their relationship could go back to anything resembling friendship now. Not after she learned the noises Lena makes right as she’s about to come. Not after seeing the trembling of her thighs and the arch of her back. Not after the softness afterwards where Lena clung to her like a barnacle and even without being able to read her mind she knew she was asking her not to leave. 

No, whatever is going to happen from here is not going to be what they had. It’s going to be different and Kara hopes it’s going to be real. She wants to be with Lena, she wants to take her out on a date (many dates) and kiss her on the doorstep. She wants to bring her flowers and lunch when she is working too hard. Well she kind of does that already. Maybe they have been dating. She will have to clarify that honestly. They definitely hadn’t been doing what they did last night though. Kara keeps blushing and smiles at the beautiful woman who is finally looking at her. 

She’s smiling, not in the business professional way that always has a bite to it, not in the casual way to try to put people at ease, not even the way she does when Jess brings her coffee. She’s smiling at Kara like she is actually happy. Kara hopes she is, she wants to soak in that smile for as long as she can. Forever if possible. She wants to kiss her in the mornings when she complains about not brushing her teeth yet. She wants to kiss the dimple that only comes out when Lena is truly carefree, and only for a moment. Kara keeps count and her new goal in life is to make it happen as often as she can. She is sure she can best her current score of five in two months. Easily. 

Then she’s thrown back into Lena’s memories, but not the explicit ones. They are Lena’s thoughts about Kara. So many and going so fast that Kara is having a hard time holding onto them but she can feel the warmth, the comfort, that’s happening in Lena’s mind. 

“Lena?” 

Kara steps toward her, circumventing the desk at the last moment because she really isn’t doing so well with the mentally present thing and she knows she can’t afford to replace the desk if she walks through it. Color floods Lena’s cheeks and she stares down at her lap, fingers fidgeting with rings and mind still racing. 

Kara kneels down before her, waiting to touch her, waiting for Len to look at her, just waiting. She would wait for the rest of her life for Lena if that’s what it takes. 

“Lena, baby, please look at me.” 

“No thank you.” 

Kara smiles at the stubbornness both radiating from her words and her mind. Which has dramatically slowed down, as if analyzing the times she has been with Kara instead of just flipping through. 

“Can I touch you? It’s okay to say no, you can always say no but if it’s okay can you tell me? I don’t want to hear it from your mind but from your mouth.” 

“Yes.” It’s quiet, a whispered gift and Kara accepts it readily. She starts by placing her hands on Lena’s knees, gentle pressure. She places one palm up and when Lena takes her hand she gives it a tiny squeeze. Her other moves upwards until it’s on Lena’s face. The back of her fingers running over Lena’s cheek. She feels the tears there and wants to ask what’s going on but she waits. When Lena leans into her touch and takes a breath she turns her hand over and just holds her face. Lena’s tears continue to fall and Kara doesn’t tell her it’s okay. She lets Lena pull her up by their still connected hand and lead her to the couch. 

Kara sits down and Lena curls into her, burrowing into Kara’s shoulder. Kara kisses her head and rubs her back. This is a position they’ve been in before, not as close, but similar. Sometimes when things are just too much Lena needs a minute to just let go of the extra. She explained it to Kara once, the feeling of having too much inside that it just leaks out. Kara wants to tell her someday, there hasn’t been time yet but there will be, that she understands. She knows what it’s like to be overwhelmed and just need a safe space. 

For her it was Alex. When she first landed she was in sensory overload all the time. So scared of everything going on, so desperate for just a little peace, some kind of release. Alex was her safe place. She would find her hidden under her bed, blankets piled high over her just to try to block out a little of the noise. Alex laid down on top of them, the added weight stifling the noise a fraction more. She made her playlists of songs Kara could put on and listen to instead of everything at once. She reminded her to get her glasses when she was leaving the house. She let her talk about Krypton, though Kara really didn’t know how to talk about something that still didn’t seem gone even though she watched it explode. She didn’t know how to put into words that sense of loss, the encompassing grief, the guilt of surviving, the fear of going to sleep. Alex listened to her stilted sentences, even after she picked up English it was difficult to find words. 

She wants to tell Lena about when she first landed here, about Alex the sister and not just the secret agent. She wants to tell Lena everything, but not now. Right now she will be Lena’s safe space. 

Slowly Lena stops crying. The apology everywhere in her thoughts about breaking down, about being weak, about leaning on Kara. Kara keeps rubbing her back. She kisses her tears away and pushes her hair behind her ears. She boops her nose to get Lena to smile and when Lena finally looks at her she knows she’s ready to talk about what happened. 

“I’m sorry…” 

“Lena, you never need to be sorry about having feelings. I am honored that you allow yourself to be like this with me. I love that I can sit here with you. I love holding you. Please don’t apologize my love.” Kara accentuates her words with small kisses, just the brushing of her lips to different parts of Lena’s face. Her nose again because it really is just too cute. Her ears because she loves the giggle she receives. Her eyelids because they worked so hard to release the emotions that Lena always tries to keep inside. Finally her mouth, not searching, not expecting anything more, just a soft kiss which Lena returns. 

“I don’t know what happened. I was thinking about other things…” She raises her eyebrow and the dimple flashes making Kara blush all over again, “and then when I looked up you were right there.” 

“I...don’t understand.” 

“I’m not saying this right,” her hands ball into fists, pulling the fabric of the patterned sweater Kara was wearing tight enough that the blue of her uniform peaked through just at the top, “you were there and looking at me and it was like I was special. Like being here, with me, was genuinely making you happy even though I was teasing you. Like looking at me made you happy. You were looking at me like I was important, like I matter to you.” 

“Lena,” Kara pauses, just holding Lena’s name in her mouth for a moment trying to form any other words. “Lena, my beautiful soft Lena. I wish I could give you this ability. I wish you could look into my mind for even a moment and see how much you mean to me.” 

She takes Lena’s face between her hands and tips it toward her so she is looking right into Lena’s eyes, swimming once again with renewed tears. Kara shuts down her mind as much as possible, shuts down this new power that she really needs to get Alex to deal with, and holds Lena’s attention. 

“You are important. You are special. Rao Lena you are everything to me. It does make me happy to be near you. It makes me so happy I can barely contain myself when I know I am going to get to see you. Ask Alex, or J’onn, or Winn. Ask anyone. Yes it will be embarrassing for me, mortifying actually, oh Rao I hope they don’t keep security footage too long or you’ll see an embarrassing little dance I did last month when you texted me you were back from Tokyo. You know what I hope they do keep it and we can watch it together. Lena, my favorite times of the day are when I see you, or even just talk to you. I would say when I think about you but that’s pretty much all the time. Please don’t doubt how much you mean to me. I love you Lena.” Kara could feel her own tears fall down her cheeks as she sees Lena’s create new trails. 

“But why? Why do you love me? There’s so much better Kara. You’re a real life superhero, you give so much of yourself to taking care of this city. You are too good.” 

“I may give my body and time to this city but I gave my heart to you a long time ago. They can’t have everything, this is mine to give and I chose you.”

“Why?” 

“Because you are so much more than you see yourself as. You are good Lena Luthor, and if you let me I’ll spend forever showing you.” 

“Forever is an awfully long time.” 

“It’s a good place to start.” 

Lena finally smiles the smile Kara loves so much. She lays her head back down on Kara’s chest, tucking her arms in between their bodies after pulling Kara’s own arms around her. As Kara leans back and gets comfortable, she doesn’t care if the Daxamites themselves show back up she’s not leaving this couch anytime soon, she hears Lena whisper, “I love you too.” 

She squeezes her and lays her head down after kissing the crown of Lena’s head. This, this is what she wants. This is everything. 

Eventually, and by eventually she means three cancelled meetings and two deliveries of food later, they come out of their bubble and reenter the world. Jess looks much less frantic then the couple times she had poked her head in to check on her boss now that Lena is actively preparing for the meeting that had started Kara’s protest hours ago. 

“This is still a terrible idea Lena. And don’t you dare try the same tactics as this morning. I will not be swayed this time. Not that I was swayed earlier anyways. I am absolutely not doing this.” 

“Please.” 

Kara does it. It being sitting in on the meeting with Lord Technologies representatives, the devil himself fortunately unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts, while they propose a joint project with L-Corp. Normally Kara would not be in such a meeting but her sneak of a girlfriend (Lena agreed!) asked her to be there and listen in for any hidden agendas. Kara would do anything for her girlfriend (she really couldn’t stop thinking it okay!) but this made her feel icky. While the please had done her in the added promise of potstickers, pizza, and kisses sure helped. She still felt like she needed to shower immediately, so much chauvinism and macho posturing in one not so small conference room really shouldn’t be allowed. And if that portly middle one didn’t stop looking at Lena like that, and having THOSE THOUGHTS right now she was going to accidentally… 

_Stand down Darling. You look like you are about to blast him into the next room._

____

____

Kara threw her best pout towards Lena. She had a feeling if she could see her face right now it would be in her top three pouting moments, though nothing could eclipse the pout that got her the WHOLE chocolate pecan pie her second thanksgiving on Earth. Alex hadn’t talked to her for two whole days after that pout. Worth it. 

_Kara. Put that away right now and focus._

____

____

Kara pouts harder. 

The retaliatory thoughts of Lena in the shower that morning coming from the darn Luthor herself was enough to make Kara fall out of her chair, pout replaced by an embarrassed “oh,” before hitting the ground. 

“While Ms. Danvers’ theatrics might be a little on the nose I can’t say I wouldn’t have fallen asleep in her position. I don’t understand gentlemen why you are wasting my time with this proposal. Do I look a fool? This is the same garbage you brought before me not six months back with nowhere near enough variation of phrase to dress it up as something new. Tell your employer if he wants to actually come up with a new idea of how we can work together that doesn’t exploit people into losing their pensions he can return himself. Until then Jess will be happy to show you the door.” 

Lena sweeps out leaving in her wake the embarrassed team and a slightly bent chair frame because of the “appreciation” one man was having for her exit. Kara doesn’t hesitate to follow her into her office where immediately Lena’s professional mask breaks and she starts to giggle. 

Giggling turns quickly to full fledged laughter as Lena bends at the waste in her glee. Kara waits patiently for her to finish, only to sit down exasperatedly on the couch when Lena looks at her “anger pout” and starts all over again. She wipes tears from her eyes as she comes toward her put out girlfriend. 

“I’m sorry Darling, your face was just too funny.” 

“It’s not funny Lena! You should have heard the things he was thinking about you. Not one iota of his attention was on the presentation; he didn’t even know what they were there for! He just wanted to come see you again!” 

Lena sat down next to her, a few inches too far for Kara’s liking but she was holding firm this time. Lena could be the one to break. The crinkle was in full effect and it wasn’t leaving until Lena let her do away with that man!

Lena takes a deep breath to calm the errant giggles that were still escaping every so often and turns toward Kara. She reaches her hand out and hesitates. Kara decides that was good enough and takes the smaller hand in her own, rubbing her thumb over the knuckles before bringing it to her lips to kiss. The soft exaltation from Lena when her lips touch makes her smile and she finally looks at her girlfriend. Lena is staring directly into her eyes and she feels herself getting lost. 

_I really am sorry love. But you can’t go threatening every man who looks too long at me. ___

____

____

“But why?” She can hear the whine in her voice bordering on unattractive levels but she really didn’t appreciate the thoughts she couldn’t help but hear. Not just from him, but at least the others were passing and not nearly as vulgar. 

“Because jealousy is not something I want to entertain in our relationship Kara.” 

“Oh Lena,” Kara pulls her closer with a tilt of her head to ask if that was okay. Lena acquiesces and scoots until she is all but sitting in Kara’s lap. Their legs are touching from knee to hip though they have both contorted themselves to continue to look at the other. Kara raises her eyebrow in question again and Lena nods, allowing Kara to gently run the backs of her fingers over Lena’s cheek again. Her skin is so soft, so warm. Kara isn’t the best judge of temperature, always forgetting to wear jackets even when it was snowing outside but Lena she felt. Her warmth comes straight through the Kryptonian’s skin and burrows deep. She cups Lena’s face in her hand and brings their foreheads together. 

Lena’s thoughts were racing, not long enough on any topic but the general gist of them being past relationships and jealousy. Arguments, fights, rules attempting to dictate what she wore, who she talked to. Pain. The fear is what made Kara stop. She stops and tries to gather her words. For a writer she is awful sometimes at expressing herself, verbally at least. 

“Lena, I am not jealous of that man, nor anyone else you interact with. I would never disrespect you in that way because you are not a possession. You are not mine Lena. You are giving me your time, which I know is so precious but that doesn’t mean it stops being yours. I am angry at him, at the intern from the mailroom sometimes, at the man who delivered our food last night but it’s not jealousy. It disgusts me the way they think about you. Like you are just a set of assets to be obtained and used. When I say I want to throw him into space it’s not so he will die, I would make sure he arrived safely on some abandoned planet so he could realize that objectifying women is wrong. Objectifying anyone is wrong, and as he continued to get company of other people who made the same mistakes they could learn and maybe be reintroduced to this planet. Actually that’s not a bad idea, I’ll have to talk to J’onn. Like scared straight but space edition. Sorry, anyways. What I’m trying to say is thank you. Thank you for choosing me to love and I promise I will try everyday to make it as worth it for you as it is for me.” 

Silence. Even Lena’s mind is silent. She’s staring at Kara, the entire time she never broke eye contact after she had pulled her head back enough to see Kara while she spoke, didn’t move to wipe the tears from her face. Kara wondered about the need for hydration and put a pin in getting Lena and herself a glass of water very soon because they had both had a very emotionally trying day. 

“I love you.” 

“My sweet girl, I love you too. I wish I could give you this power so much, so you could see everything I love about you that I haven’t found out how to say yet.” 

Lena kisses her. Softly but deepening as they both pour the emotions still on the tips of their tongues into each other. Lena moves to straddle Kara’s lap, Kara’s hands going to her lower back to hold her steady. She runs her fingers through silky dark hair as Lena traces every crevice of her mouth. She isn’t sure if she groans, Lena groans, or it was just something she heard in her mind but it makes her hips cant upwards toward the goddess on her lap. The jostling causes Lena to pull back and regain her balance. She smiles down at Kara, her favorite smile, the one that doesn’t happen near enough, and leans in to kiss her once more. 

“We have time.” 

Kara smiles up at her and pulls back down. Just before she’s about to continue to destroy Lena’s lipstick her phone goes off. Not her normal I can ignore it and Snapper will just have to deal phone, but the much louder much more intrusive DEO one. 

Kara can feel Lena shaking with silent laughter which is not helping her current situation at all as she pulls said offending object from her front pocket. Lena gasps as Kara’s hand brushes her inner thigh inadvertently and stills. Kara is about to throw the phone into the wall but when it stops ringing and immediately begins again she knows it’s actually important. 

She can’t help but answer a little testily though. 

“Alex is this life or death? Like actually life or death not some hyperbolized situation that was probably thought up by Winn just to mess with me.” 

“Well hello to you too grouchy. I’m sorry to… interrupt and I don’t want any details on what I’m interrupting since I tried to call you at CatCo only to be told you were on “assignment” at L-Corp for the past six hours. Kara really, it’s a workday.”

“Alex,” she doesn’t growl, she will deny forever that she growled. She might have growled. 

“Sheesh. Down Krypto. We need you to come in. Now.” 

“Seriously?” 

“Oh I’m sorry, does the emergency that is happening right now cause you grievous inconvenience? Yes seriously. Get your ass over here Kara. And you can bring Lena ONLY if you aren’t going to be fucking mooning over her the entire time. I swear…” 

Kara hangs up on her and shoves the phone back in her pocket, not encumbered by Lena anymore who had gotten up but not moved from standing between Kara’s legs as she took the call. 

“How much of that did you hear?”

“Krypto?” That damn eyebrow raise will be the death of her. How is it possible for one woman to do so many things that ruin Kara’s focus so completely? 

“Nope. So are you coming?” 

“Well not yet but maybe we can remedy that later.” 

“Lena!” 

“I’m sorry Kara. It’s just so much fun. Yes I will be accompanying you to the DEO. And I swear I will try my best not to distract you while you’re dealing with said emergency. Scouts honor.” 

“You were a scout?”

“You should see what I can do with knots.”

“LENA!” 

“Alright. I’m done. For now. Game face love, there’s evil afoot. Up up and away Supergirl.” 

This woman might be the death of her but she decides as she’s picking her girlfriend up and letting her settle comfortably, that some things are worth it. She guides them out the window and takes off toward the DEO, wind in her hair and Lena in her arms. She is still blushing furiously but it’s worth it. Lena will always be worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What I thought was going to be a quirky little one shot has turned into something so much more. As of right now I have a few more chapters for this fic but honestly I’m kind of winging it.  
> Next up: Kara at the DEO, some Alex and Sam shenanigans, and the ever patient space dad.  
> Lemme know what you think on here or tumblr Nataliawhite92. Thanks :)


	3. In Dire Need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara go to the DEO At Alex’s insistence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot? What’s that? Oh yeah it’s something that should happen!
> 
> SpicyCheese is the most helpful human ever and she honestly pulled me out of the just see where it goes and helped me make it into an actual story.

“You can put me down now Darling,” Lena chuckles as they touch down on the balcony entrance of the DEO and Kara continues to cradle her close. 

“What if I don’t want to?” Kara teases. 

“Far be it from me to tell you what to do.” 

Kara smiles and kisses the smirk from Lena’s mouth. She meant it to just be a quick kiss but there is something so addictive about Lena’s lips Kara can’t help but continue. Lena smiles into Kara’s kiss. She nips her lower lip, pulling it into the heat of her mouth. 

There’s cameras everywhere love. Someone is bound to notice. 

“I don’t care.” It comes out muffled, Kara unwilling to break the connection between them as she groans. 

Someone else might.

“You’re not the only one who can play games Ms. Luthor.” 

_KARA ZOR-EL DANVERS IF YOU DON’T STOP RIGHT NOW I SWEAR! ___

____

____

Alex’s thoughts are almost enough to make Kara pull back but as Lena sweeps her tongue along the indentations her teeth just made Kara ignores her sister. 

_That’s it! I’m telling Lena about 9th grade Kara! I’m going to tell her everything! Marriage book and all! ___

____

____

The groan this time's for a wholly different reason as Kara finally pulls back enough for Lena to slip out of her arms. She pecks her once more before holding out her hand for Lena to grasp. 

Lena pokes the crinkle between her eyes as she straightens out her pencil skirt and blouse.

“Alex?” 

“Yep.” The pop of the “p” enunciated in her disgruntlement. 

“I’m sure we shouldn’t test her patience more. Though it is tempting.” 

_KARA! ___

____

____

“We should go in.” Kara heaves a sigh and starts toward the command center where no doubt Alex is looking that special kind of stern. 

“Don’t think I won’t spill your secrets Kara Danvers.” Alex greets her. 

“You don’t want to go tit for tat with me Alex considering I happen to be able to get to Midvale and back in all of 5 minutes and retrieve your teenage years worth of albums. I’m sure Sam would love to see your grunge phase.”

_Tit for tat huh? I happen to have both._

____

____

_You wouldn’t dare! ___

____

____

“Both of you stop!” Kara says maybe a little too loudly as she blushes furiously and avoids eye contact with everyone. She rubs her temples, headache forming as the thoughts of the entire DEO swarm upon her. 

She hits the ground hard, her knees buckling out from under her as the thoughts are just too much. She knew they would be loud once she left the bubble of Lena’s office, even there unable to escape the hundreds of employee’s thoughts constantly building but this is so much worse. There’s so many, going so fast she can’t find any control. Her hands dig into the cement floor and she feels the pieces crumble into nothing more than dust. It’s getting harder to even differentiate between people and she just wants it to all stop. 

She feels someone in front of her, crouched down and hesitant. She thinks it’s Alex but she can’t tell. It’s all just so loud. 

“Kara, come with me. Can you stand? We need to go to the lab. Winn and I think we figured out how to help. Please try Kar.” 

She lets herself be helped up by her sister. Her eyes are clenched shut, her body tight as she tries to walk. She peeks through and sees Lena. She looks so scared. She can feel the anxiety washing outwards from her and wants to comfort her. She tries to smile but can feel the grimace taking over her face. Lena twitches, caught somewhere between wanting to help and terrified. 

_Should I follow? Oh god Alex help her! ___

____

____

Alex tells her to give them a second and leads Kara away from everyone. She stumbles but Alex catches her, she may be the one with powers but Alex has always been her own kind of hero. 

They reach the med bay and when Alex closes the door the sounds muffle but Kara is still struggling to not let herself be swept away by the waves crashing against her. Harsh and unrelenting as only something as powerful as the ocean can be. 

Alex lowers her onto a stretcher and Kara curls into a ball. Her legs tucked close to her chest as she tries to focus on anything. Wanting desperately to just escape. She feels Alex place something on her head and everything clears. Silence. Peace. 

She uncurls her body slowly, reacquainting herself to the absence of noise that surrounded her only seconds ago. 

“It’s a neurological dampener. We modified the prototypes from when Psi attacked to block out psychic energies. It’s just a stopgap until we can finish sequencing a cure.” 

Kara stands and pulls Alex toward her in a strong hug. She lets herself cry in the comforting arms of the first person she trusted on this planet. Alex holds her tightly. 

They break apart as a tentative knock hits the door. Kara knows it’s Lena before she pushes the door open. 

Kara waits to hear what Lena isn’t saying out loud only to remember she is wearing the dampener. 

“I’m okay Lena.” She smiles an actual smile and waits for her girlfriend to return it. She doesn’t. The concerned look on her face doesn’t leave and she doesn’t make any move towards Kara. 

“Lena” Kara steps toward Lena only for her to shadow her, moving a step back. She stops and tries not to show the hurt at the reticence still radiating from Lena. She knows she’s unsuccessful when Lena’s mask slips and Kara catches a glimpse of the pain Lena seems to be in. 

“Lena, please talk to me. What’s going on?” 

Lena finally walks into Kara’s arms and wraps her own tightly around Kara’s middle. She takes a deep breath as Kara kisses the top of her head and hugs her back. 

“I don’t like seeing you in pain,” it’s just a whisper but to Kara it’s as loud as the thoughts outside this room were. 

“I know. But I’m okay I promise. Alex and Winn are working on fixing it and until then I’ve got this cool new headgear to help.” 

At the mention of Alex both turn, still in each other’s arms, toward the redhead who is trying her hardest to not pay attention to the two who may have forgotten she was in the room. 

“I promise I’ll fix it Lena. We won’t give up until Kara’s back to normal. Or at least the level she was at before.” 

Her joke falls flat though both Kara and Lena force small chuckles as they all release a little anxiety. 

“I want to help. All my resources are yours Agent Danvers. I’d like to take a look at whatever you have worked out so far.” 

Kara expects Alex to bristle at the offer, taking it as an insinuation that Lena could do better but is surprised by Alex’s quick agreement to show Lena the sequencing. 

She excuses herself soon after and leaves Kara and Lena to themselves. They still hold onto each other, finding comfort in the closeness. 

“I really am okay,” Kara reassures after a few minutes. 

“I’ve seen Supergirl knocked down so many times before, I don’t know why I’m letting myself get so upset.” 

“Because Supergirl didn’t love you then, well she did, I did. But it wasn’t like now. You didn’t know.” 

“Know what?”

“How much I am in love with you Lena. It was different then.” 

Lena squeezes her one more time before letting her go except their hands which stay linked. They start to make their way back toward everyone probably waiting for them. 

“I love you too.” 

“I know, but I will never stop wanting to hear it.” 

Lena laughs, an authentic laugh that causes her to relate the last of the tension of her shoulders. 

“I love you.” 

“I love you too baby. Forever and a day.” 

“Baby?” Lena says around the wrinkle her faces turns into. 

“Yes?”

Lena laughs at Kara’s feigned innocence. 

“Kara no.” 

“Sweetums?” 

Lena’s laugh echoes around the entire room, filling Kara with more warmth than the yellow sun. 

“Kara!” She knows Lena is trying for exasperation but with the laughter still falling from her mouth it’s hard to take her seriously. 

“Dumpling? Sugar pie honey bunch?” Kara adds an eyebrow wiggle and is met with a glorious snort that has the CEO blushing furiously. 

“No! Why are all your pet names food related?!?” 

“I can’t help that you’re so delicious my little slice of cheesecake. What would you like me to call you?” 

“Lena.” 

“Lena?” 

“I like Lena.”

“What a coincidence,” Kara says as she sweeps the errant hair behind Lena’s ear, “so do I.” 

Lena continues to blush even as she leans into Kara’s touch. 

“I like the way you say my name. How your mouth cradles it. How you hold the e and release the a in a little gasp at the end. No one has ever said my name like that.” 

“Like what?” 

“Like it’s precious. Like you love the sound of it.” 

“It is to me.” 

Lena cradles Kara’s face and draws her in for a soft kiss. 

They break apart quickly but not before Kara steals another kiss to save for later. She can still taste the laughter on Lena’s lips, understanding addiction. 

“So no sugar plum?” 

Lena laughs again and groans, still working on banishing the blush coloring her cheeks. 

When they turn to corner to go back to the control room everyone is suddenly busily rushing around doing “work.” 

“They are really the highest clearance government agents we charge with keeping us safe?” Lena asks around a smile, not quite Kara’s favorite but the tease apparent in both it and her voice. 

“Really makes you feel safe doesn’t it?” 

“God you two are just as annoying without Lena sending sex thoughts!” Alex huffs loud enough for them both to easily hear it. 

“Photo albums Alex.” 

“Ducks Kara.” 

“You two knock it off or I’ll call Eliza myself and clear up all this threatened mystery.” Lena chastises. 

“Too bad you don’t have her number!” Kara just resists sticking her tongue out at her girlfriend but when she turns to face her she sees the mischievous smile growing. 

“Kara, darling, am I or am I not a verified genius?” 

“…You are…” 

“How hard would it be for me to find your adopted mother’s contact information, even if I didn’t already know the password to your phone?” 

Kara turns to Alex, both sets of their eyes widening at the realization that Lena could very easily accomplish not only this but so many other things if given the temptation. Kara might not be able to actually read Alex’s thoughts right now but they were having silent conversations with each other long before she got blasted with an alien gun. They call a truce just as J’onn walks into the center of the room. 

“Kara, I’m glad to see the prototype is working. You look much less strained than when you first got here.” 

“I don’t remember seeing you.” Lena says as J’onn comes to stand next to them. Kara casually rubs her thumb along the knuckle of Lena’s hand that she is still holding. Lena has never actually voiced her wariness of the Martian but Kara has always known. She also knows it has nothing to do with him being an alien but instead the part he plays in Kara’s life. He has been the closest thing she has had to a father since Jeremiah died shortly after she landed on Earth. Kara has talked about him many times, honestly how did she not figure Lena knew when she all but told her about the battles they fought together accidentally slipping between talking about Supergirl in the third and first person. Kara mentally face palms and brings Lena’s hand to her lips, kissing it lightly. 

Lena raises her eyebrow at Kara, attention still mostly on J’onn, but Kara just smiles and mouths I love you. Later she will tell her how lucky she is to have had the time Lena gave her to tell her this secret that wasn’t actually a secret. She appreciates it even though it should have never lasted as long as it did. 

“I didn’t want to intrude. Agent Danvers had it well in hand and with everyone’s emotions running particularly high I felt it best to wait until we saw that the prototype worked.” 

I was giving you time to take care of her. I was giving her time to be helped by Alex. I was giving you three space to continue to form the relationship that you have just started to maneuver. As it is with Alex, Kara has always been good at reading J’onn. He was not particularly demonstrative about his love for the sisters but they knew. 

Lena looked skeptical but she let it go, flashing Kara a look that meant something along the lines of tell me later. 

“Agent Danvers, where are you and Mr. Scott on the cure?” 

“We have the comparison data we collected from Kara yesterday and are running it against the base sample we have on file. When the sequencing is done we should be able to isolate the strain of whatever is giving her this power. It’s acting like a virus, invading the neurological connection that we use to communicate to different areas and somehow magnifying it.” 

“So can I just keep it and wear this forever? I mean it doesn’t exactly match with anything I own but it seems like the simplest solution.” Kara asks, looking back and forth between Alex and J’onn. 

“It’s degrading her neurons isn’t it?” Lena asks. Her voice is no longer hushed and just for Kara but projected powerfully just like when she’s in the conference room. In control, the mask of her work persona falling in place perfectly. 

“Yes it seems to be. We need to run more test Kar to see the damage that’s been done so far but even soon after you were hit there was sign of potential decay. Your brain wasn’t meant to be able to do this, it hasn’t been adapted for it like the brains of that species.” 

“What will happen to her? What happens if we can’t fix this?” 

“I don’t know honestly, but best guess: her brain won’t be able to tolerate the changes for long. She will either go insane, or it will shut down.” 

Lena was gripping Kara’s hand tightly now, her knuckles completely white as she struggled to not show a reaction. Kara was having less success. She was trying to remain optimistic but had been so reliant on her invulnerability for so long. The thought that there was something going on inside her that she not only couldn’t fight but was already losing before she even became aware was scary. She couldn’t afford to let it manifest though, her fear was hers alone and would do nothing to help right now. 

She could see the strain Alex was under, could see how she was distancing herself with the science of it. The bags under her sister’s eyes told the story of the lack of sleep she had experienced this last day and a half. She is hit in the stomach with a wave of guilt, she had been frivolous with this new power, excited by it, while her sister had been breaking herself in half trying to help her. 

She looks at Lena through the side of her eye and sees how hard she was trying to stay in control. Her jaw is clenching and Kara can hear her teeth grinding, her shallow breaths. She can see her mind spinning a million miles an hour. 

She trusts them. These two humans who were so much more the heroes than she. They didn’t have powers; they were soft and vulnerable, but so much stronger than her. They would figure this out. She isn’t scared. 

She kind of is. 

“Well let’s get to it then. What do you need from me? Blood, scans, maybe a couple food runs?” 

Alex smiles at her. It’s strained but the real feelings are beneath it. 

Lena looks at her like she has grown another head. 

“Kara please be serious.” 

“I am. I am honestly asking what you want from me right now. I can’t punch this away Lena and I have no special knowledge of what’s going to happen to me. I couldn’t be more serious if I tried. Please. Please just tell me what you need.” She realizes she’s shaking at the same time everyone else does. They are looking at her like she is fragile and right now she feels like she is. This isn’t her after she has solar flared and has to be careful of her sudden vulnerability. This is something so much worse and she’s not doing as well as she thought she was. 

Lena pulls her hand away, never breaking eye contact with Kara. Did she say her name? Kara thinks she heard Lena say her name. She can’t hear her talking though. What’s going on? Why can’t she hear anything? Then blackness. 

When she wakes up she is laying down, once again in the medbay and it all seems like a painful joke of déjà vu. 

She knows when she opens her eyes Alex will be there, as will J’onn. She hopes Lena is too. 

She sees them all, plus Winn who is furiously typing on his laptop. Alex is watching Kara’s vitals like it is some sort of fascinating movie. J’onn is sitting in a chair, eyes closed. Maybe he’s meditating, he does seem amazingly calm. Kara wishes she could be that calm. Lena though, her beautiful Lena, is looking directly at her. 

As she comes back to her body everyone reacts, and she realizes she’s holding Lena’s hand when it grips her softly. 

“What happened?” 

“You were in shock Kara.” The answer comes from J’onn, still calm, still with his eyes closed like he is trying to send her some of his tranquility. He might be, they never did have that talk about the extent of his powers. 

“And… everything else?” 

This time Alex answers her, brushing Kara’s hair back from her forehead as she kisses it and then squeezes her shoulder. 

“Everything else is the same Kar, which is actually good. We did some scans while you were out and the mental decay hasn’t progressed. Right now we are in a holding pattern. The prototype seems to be helping with more than just you not being able to hear thoughts. Lena has been trying to replicate a more advanced version of it that we hope can hold this off until we finish the cure. She’s been helping with that as well, though we still haven’t been able to reverse engineer the virus. But we are closer.” Kara hears the desperation in her sister’s voice, the pleading that says how much she is trying. Kara knows. 

“You two will figure it out. You’re the smartest people I know.” 

“Hey!” Winn says in indignation, finally looking away from the screen and at Kara. He looks about as rested as Alex, which is not a lot. 

“You too Winn. I know you’re all doing everything you can.” 

“Rest up Supergirl, that’s the best thing you can do.” J’onn opens his eyes and Kara sees how much he cares. She’s always felt it. 

Everyone leaves, Alex looking like she is about to rush back to Kara’s bedside but finally gives her one more nod and walks toward her lab. Everyone except Lena who has not so much as moved while Kara was being updated. 

“We will figure it out Kara.” 

“I wasn’t just saying that Lena. I know you will. You are both too stubborn not to.” 

“I know you’re trying to lighten the mood Kara but you don’t have to. It’s just you and me now. You can be whatever you need to be love.” 

“I’m scared.” Kara speaks it to their interlocked hands but looks quickly at Lena to see if she’s hurt her with her admission. 

“I am too. I’m so scared I can’t breathe some moments. But that’s when breakthroughs happen.” 

“When you can’t breathe?” 

Lena smiles and chuckles lightly. A little life in her eyes finally and Kara feels herself take a breathful of air. She forgets to be scared, just for a moment. 

“No Kara. Breakthroughs happen when people can’t stop until they find them. When people need them to so they make them happen. I need you Kara. Alex needs you. We will figure this out because we don’t know how not to.” 

Kara pulls gently at Lena’s hand until she is standing from her chair and at Kara’s bedside. Kara pulls her again and Lena rolls her eyes before letting herself be laid down along Kara’s side, careful not to disturb the connections of various machines. She’s still tense but as Kara reverses their normal positions she feels Lena relax. This time it’s Kara who lays her head on Lena’s chest, Kara who seeks comfort and protection. It’s Lena who lends strength to the girl of steel and finally lets herself slow down for a moment. 

“I need to get back to the lab Kar. Alex needs my help.” 

“I need you more.” 

“I’m doing this for you Kara. I need to fix this.” 

Kara sees the tears swimming in Lena’s eyes, but they don’t fall this time. She is both vulnerable and strong in this moment, and so beautiful. Holding her tears as if they themselves will fuel her into finding the answer. 

“You will, but you need to sleep. You need to eat and take a moment. You won’t be able to figure anything out if you work yourself into a coma.” 

“But Alex…”

“Is getting the same lecture from J’onn right now. I can hear him threatening to personally toss her in a containment cell if she doesn’t get some rest while the new antivirus is being formulated on Winn’s computer. There’s nothing else you can do right now Lena. Just stay here with me. Please.” 

“He needs to wake us both us as soon as it’s ready so we can do the next phase of testing.” 

“Think it really hard. Yell at him with your mind and he will hear you. Trust me, it’s hard to ignore directed thoughts.” Kara cringes at the memory, was it really just yesterday this all happened? It seems like so much longer.

“Lena, how long was I out?”

“27 hours and 13 minutes.” Lena’s answer is immediate and Kara draws a sharp breath. 

“I’m so sorry. You must have been terrified.” 

“Don’t you dare apologize to me Kara Danvers. I can’t believe I let this happen. I should have known. I…” Lena starts shaking and Kara moves herself up so they are forehead to forehead. 

“If I can’t apologize neither can you. There’s no way you could have known what was going on Lena. No one did.” 

Lena doesn’t look at her, but Kara waits. She knows Lena is mentally berating herself right now and the first thing she is going to do is tell her in a million different ways that this isn’t her fault. After they get some sleep. After she isn’t in danger. After this is finished. For now she just waits for Lena to look at her. 

Once she does Kara wipes the tears still pooling in Lena’s eyes and just looks. She lets herself get lost in the tiny crinkles in the corner of Lena’s eyes. She tries to dissect the colors, swirling in the sea of emotion, that make Lena’s irises. She just looks at her. 

“I love you.” 

Lena reaches out and holds Kara’s face just as she’s holding hers. Their foreheads come back together and they both close their eyes and let their bodies get heavy. 

“I love you too. I can’t lose you.” 

“You never will. I promise.” 

Kara knows that if she was more mentally aware Lena would argue with her but she’s already on the far side of falling asleep and she just pulls Kara closer, the blonde willingly going with her. The last thing Kara hears before she is unconscious again is Alex finally relenting and going to find a cot for “a fucking quick nap J’onn, more than 3 hours go by and I will kick your ass back to Mars.” Kara smiles and falls asleep.

When she next wakes it feels like little time has passed. Lena is still curled into her side asleep, Kara loathe to disturb her. She turns toward the other presence in her room, ready to flay (quietly) whoever has disturbed her cuddle time.

Of course it’s Alex. 

But Alex isn’t looking at her. She isn’t staring at the monitors either. She is also not sleeping like she should be. Kara looks at the clock and realizes just an hour has passed since she and J’onn convinced these two to sleep, she huffs in annoyance. 

Alex still doesn’t acknowledge her and Kara wonders what kind of strange, sleep deprived thoughts are floating around in her sister’s brain. She appreciates the fact that a couple days ago she only wanted to stop knowing, and a couple days before that she would never be tempted as she currently is to take off the prototype and figure out what her sister is thinking. The visceral memories of the pain of too many thoughts keep the headpiece where it sits. 

Alex finally looks at her, strained smile and all. Kara smiles back, the question in the twitch of her eyebrow, Alex’s answer in her eyes falling back on Lena. 

“She never left you know. From the moment you passed out she took action. Damn near took over this place, though to be fair she has right to.” 

“She is smart Alex. I’m glad you’re letting her help.” Kara speaks softly, trying her hardest not to wake the exhausted woman in her arms. Lena shifts but burrows her head back into Kara’s collarbone, Kara smiling as she presses the cold spot of her shirt against her chest; the testament of Lena sleeping deeply enough to drool on her. 

“That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. Don’t play dense Kar, I’ve known you too long.” 

Kara is still silent, waiting for Alex to continue. 

“She loves you, and not in the fluttery we finally got over our asinine attempt to be friends when heart eyes were exploding around the two of us for almost a year love. It’s the deep, dark, I can’t lose this love. Kara, is that what you feel?”

“Yes.” 

“You have to be more careful Kar.”

“Don’t you start on this tired Luthor spiel. I’m not standing for it Alex. Lena is good! She’s saved the world. She’s saved YOUR life for Rao’s sake…”

Before she could really get going on all that Lena has done for them she feels the sharp snap of a nail connecting with her forehead. 

“Did you seriously just flick my head?”

“It’s a tried and true method of getting your attention.” 

“I hope you bruised your finger.” 

“Unkind, and yes I did. Anyways, I wasn’t talking about her being a Luthor. Hell, she’s better than half the people you’ve mooned over and they came from families not ripe with sociopaths. I’m talking about skipping steps Kara. You can’t jump from “we aren’t talking about this” to “we’ve been in love and happy for 2 decades.” You have to do the work to actually get there or it will all fall apart. I know what it’s like. When I found… her and took the chance, realized she loved me back, it was like everything perfectly fit into place when I was been missing so many pieces for years. I was so happy, we were happy. Until we weren’t. We let a lot of stuff go unsaid and not dealt with Kar, and it tore us apart.” 

“Don’t you think this is a little mistimed Alex? I mean we’ve kind of had other stuff going on and haven’t had time to sit down and define the relationship.” 

“So it’s a relationship?”

“She’s my girlfriend.” Kara felt the corners of her mouth pull up at the uttered term. She had a girlfriend, and it was Lena. 

Alex smiled back at her and Kara saw through her big speech. She was worried about her little sister. Kara watch Alex lose herself when Maggie left and she was just again finding out how to exist. She was trying to protect Kara, the superhero who could literally lift a spaceship above her head, when it came to something much more difficult than physical feats of strength. 

“I’m not saying do it now. I’m saying just don’t wait a year to talk about things. Don’t let yourselves be blindsided when you don’t have to be.” 

“If I don’t die.” 

“Didn’t you just hear me? Lena won’t let that happen and neither will I. Just because you’ve got this brainy girlfriend who had completely redesigned my neurological defense system in the time it took Vasquez to get her coffee doesn’t mean I’ve been slacking. We’ve got you Kara. Which means you’ll be perfectly able to have the awkward conversation without the help of superpowers this time.” 

“Gee thanks Alex.” 

“No problem kid. I love you.” 

Alex jokes but Kara feels everything she isn’t saying. She knows this wasn’t an easy conversation for Alex to have. She had adamantly not talked about Maggie to any of them since it happened. She had ignored their attempts to help or offers of a shoulder to cry on, threatening those who didn’t leave her alone quick enough. She drank herself into a stupor just to be able to sleep and then woke up pretending she was fine every single morning. She had come a long way from hitting her rock bottom but she was still not able to say Maggie’s name most day, and though it hadn’t actually come out of her mouth now it was everywhere in her warnings and concern for Kara to avoid the same pain that had almost broken her.

“I love you too Alex.” She wants to say more but sees Alex closing the door on this conversation. She can give her this; she respects her enough to allow her to dictate when she needs a break. 

“So Sam eh?” 

“What’s that I hear? The computer alerting? I had better go check on that.” Alex smirks at her as she turns around to leave Kara alone with her sleeping girlfriend once more. 

“Hypocrite,” Kara calls a little loudly and holds still as Lena again shifts but thankfully doesn’t fully wake up. Her sister turns back to her with a glint in her eye that had been missing since this all began. 

“One gay crisis at a time Kara, for god’s sake!” 

“So you admit you’re gay for Sam?”

Alex blushes. Kara mentally pats herself on the back for scoring a point. 

“Have you seen her? How could I not be?”

Kara tries to stifle the laugh that erupts out of her mouth at Alex’s final comment and glares at her sister’s back when Lena blinks blearily at the noise. 

“Welcome back my love. I’m so sorry for waking you up.” 

Lena grumbles and clenches her eyes shut but Kara can already hear her body coming back fully to wakefulness. Lena’s stubborn though and refuses to unbury her head for a little bit more, Kara kissing her tucked head and holding her until she is ready to get back up.

She yawns a giant yawn and starts to move and stretch, kicking Kara in the shin of her left leg, an elbow to her solar plexus, and almost a headbutt to her nose that she stopped at the last moment by all but falling out of bed to avoid cracking Lena’s skull with her own. 

Lena is laughing at her when she resettles, her eyes alight with joy. Kara can tell the exact moment Lena realizes there was still so much work to be done in the sudden stiffening of her body and the laugh that broke off in the middle. 

But Lena didn’t get up yet, she pulls Kara close and kisses her nose that she had just tried unintentionally to collide with. She is still smiling at Kara, who had yet to say anything. Lena’s smile is uncertain but genuine and Kara can’t help but return it with one of her own as she steals a kiss from Lena’s lips. 

“Don’t you start Darling, I’ve got things to do.” 

“But Lena…” 

“No Kara. You were right that I needed to sleep but now I am rested and ready to get back to work.” 

Kara grumbles something about 2 hours not being nearly enough sleep but the eyebrow makes an appearance and she is smart enough to recognize a lost argument with a stubborn opponent. 

“Alright well I’m coming with you. I’m doing no good lying in bed.” 

“Are you strong enough?” 

There were a lot of things Kara would do to make Lena giggle, including pulling off her electrodes and standing in a gracefully fluid moment, Lena cradled in her arms. The giggle she had desired is rewarded to her as Lena adjusts herself to being held and lays a hand on Kara’s collarbone after kissing it gently. 

“Well then, up up and away Supergirl.” 

Kara rolled her eyes at Lena’s continued use of the phrase anytime it even remotely fits which doesn’t include now since she wasn’t about to fly them to Alex’s lab. She jostles Lena a bit for one last round of laughter and sets off holding her close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this story has taken so many different turns than what I originally had planned I can barely remember where I started.  
> That being said I have the rest of it outline and partially written so it won’t be me flying by the seat of my pants anymore.  
> I imagine it to be another 4-5 chapters.  
> Sam and Alex didn’t happen in this chapter (see above) but I promise it will. I already have a few of their initial scenes written.  
> Thanks for coming along for the ride!  
> I’m Nataliawhite92 on tumblr.


	4. Let Down My Defenses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spacedad J’onn, caffeine overdoes Alex, Lena is a croissant, and a meditating Kara.

Alex made a good show at looking like she hadn’t been forcibly removed from her own lab a couple hours ago but the telltale signs were there. The bags under her eyes were a little less obvious. The coffee cups and untouched food had been removed, by J’onn Kara assumes, while she had been asleep because trying to take them when Alex was there was futile. There was no arguing with an exhausted and stressed out super agent that the food had been sitting there for eleven hours at that point or that the five coffees that were partially drunk had already been replaced with other, fresher, cups. Alex had a system and moving her things was not part of that system. The scars of which lessons were heavily felt by certain newbie agents too untested to know their superiors were playing a joke on them. 

Kara and Lena enter the room to find Alex hunched over her microscope, facing away from them. She vaguely waves over her shoulder some kind of military taught code that doesn’t need words but Kara kind of skipped that class, well all the classes really but most of the time there had been heroic things needing her attention. 

She smiles at Lena and holds her own hand up to her mouth, motioning for quiet in an example that doesn’t need an advanced degree to recognize. Though Lena has both, but smiles indulgently at her and nods her understanding. 

Kara hovers carefully and moves slowly toward her sister. Alex is completely absorbed in whatever is in the field of view and no longer paying any attention to whomever else might be in the room. It would be negligent of Kara to not take this opportunity to remind Alex that she always needs to be on her toes. She can feel her energy reserves leaving a lot quicker than normal but she’s still able to stay in control as she glides across the lab. She passes assistants who barely startle and instead pause their own work to see the outcome of the legendary Danvers’ sisters shenanigans. 

Kara comes up right behind her sister and blows a tiny bit of freeze breath on her neck. Alex brushes the anonymous irritant away quickly and keeps her attention on what’s in front of her. Kara then moves onto the back of her right elbow which Alex throws back as if to fight off the invisible pest that won't leave her alone. When Kara motions for Lena to hide behind a desk she hovers higher and blasts Alex’s opposite elbow with a very measured heat vision, not enough to even leave a mark but enough to pull Alex out of her microscope and fling herself around ready to confront whatever is happening. Her eyes widen in shock when nothing is apparent and that’s all it takes for Kara to burst into laughter. 

Alex’s head shoots up and Kara barely flies out of her reach when she tries to tug her down, scowl replacing the look of confusion. Laughter tinkles toward them from the others in the lab and soon Alex is shooting them all looks of displeasure as she tells them to get back to work. They do so, still smiling and ignoring Alex’s hard glare. 

“Kara get down here! You shouldn’t be using your powers like that when you’re still weakened.” Alex transitions effortlessly from supervisor to older sister mode, one she has made countless times when Kara is apparently doing something that she shouldn’t in the presence of other operatives. 

“I was just coming to check on your progress Alex and you waved your whatever code at me.” 

“I was saying give me a three minutes Kara. You would know that if you ever bothered to show up to the MANDATORY training for new agents.” 

“You actually motioned for six minutes Agent Danvers, but it’s a common mistake I understand. Also even if Kara didn’t attend training the message was clear.” Lena moves from crouching behind the desk, smiling at the antics of the two in front of her. 

“You should be sleeping Luthor, and for god’s sake call me Alex. Agent Danvers is too formal for the woman bedding my little sister.” 

Kara squeaks, Lena smiles in glee but tries to hide it, many an assistant choose to go do their work in the quieter lab next door, and Alex smirks triumphantly. 

“Well then I insist you call me Lena. And I’ll sleep when you do.” 

“Fine. Good. Now come look at this, I think the latest antivirus is almost ready but we still can’t account for the variation that keeps trying to revert back to the base biology of the Terratians instead of bonding with Kara’s Kryptonian sample.” Alex is already head back in her work as Lena smiles at Kara and walks over, her hand brushing that of her girlfriend’s before she settles in to try to figure out the latest problem. 

Kara takes the opportunity to leave the two of them to work, knowing trying to pull either of them away in the foreseeable future would be futile. She needs to talk to J’onn anyways and has spent more than enough time these past few days surrounded by sterilized equipment. When she calls her goodbyes she is waved off by both women this time who don’t even wait for an explanation nor look up from their work. Kara tries not to get a headache when she thinks about her future that now includes two impossibly stubborn work obsessed people she will be trying to drag back into the real world. 

The DEO is quiet, Kara realizing her sense of time has been mixed up so irrevocably by her bouts of passing out and sleeping for entire days that she’s unsurprised to discover it’s four in the morning thus explaining the smaller staff. She receives smiles, heavy with concern but trying to hide it from her, she appreciates their efforts even if they are rather transparent. Winn is asleep at his desk, cheek uncomfortably smashed into the keyboard of his monitor. She thinks about trying to wake him and get him transferred to a cot somewhere but knows if he regains consciousness he will go back to trying to help her. She uses the coat from the back of his chair to place beneath his head at least, hoping it’s a little more comfortable. 

He’s not who she really wants to see right now anyways, but where would a Martian be in the middle of the night when nothing is going on? Does he even have an apartment? No, he’s here somewhere. Kara reaches out her superhearing and hears the sounds of his deep, regular breathing, that would suggest his own responsibility to sleep being adhered to, but his heart rate is not one of resting. 

When she finds him in one of the lesser used training rooms he is sitting in the middle of the floor, his legs crossed, and his palms lightly sitting atop his knees. She should have known he would be meditating, that’s much more J’onn than actually sleeping. Do any of them ever sleep? 

She sits in front of him mirroring his position trying to absorb some of his calm. She closes her eyes, breathes deeply, and tries to clear her mind. 

It lasts all of two minutes before she decides that a better use of her time would be pulling faces at the Martian and seeing if he notices. 

“Kara...” his tone warning in his obvious annoyance at her antics. 

She plops down on the ground pouting. 

“How did you know it was me?” 

“I can’t read your mind Kara but I can hear your breathing and smell Lena’s lipstick.” 

Kara is still blushing as J’onn opens his eyes and smiles at her. A rare smile that Kara revels in. 

“I’m guessing from your lack of effort you aren’t here to try meditation again?” 

“I tried!” Kara whines though she knows it was bare minimum at best. 

“What’s going on Kara?” 

“I don’t know. Alex and Lena are working on curing me, my head’s no longer exploding, Winn is sleeping, and I’m here.” 

“With me.” 

“I didn’t mean anything by it J’onn. You’re as much my family as any of the rest of the them.” 

“I know Kara. Why are you here though instead of with them. Your advanced knowledge of science from Krypton might be beneficial.” 

“I know but I don’t know. I just needed a minute.” 

“You don’t need to be scared. They are in the process of figuring it out. It shouldn’t be much longer.” 

“Do I have to give it up? Couldn’t I help so many more people like this?” 

“But at what cost? Is the ability to help worth the personal sacrifice?” 

“But is it a sacrifice? I have to wear this now and I know Lena could design something less conspicuous if she needed to.” 

“You will die. It may not happen as quickly as it would without the technology Ms. Luthor modified but the result will be the same. Your brain will diminish its capacity to handle the changes and you will die.” 

“I don’t want to die.” 

“I didn’t assume you did. You are a hero Kara Zor-El. And not because you have been given powers by this galaxy’s sun. Because you have survived the loss of your world but hold no ill will against those who have not. The hardest thing in this life is to live it and you continue. Not only live but help, giving yourself everyday. It’s not a hero who says they are unafraid but one who admits they fear but doesn’t let it stop them.”

Kara sits with J’onn’s words after he leaves her in the training room. She didn’t tell him to go but like most things he knows when to allow people their time. 

She sits and thinks about what he said, and what brought her to him in the first place. She doesn’t want to die, even before he built her back up she knew that. Nor was she afraid to live. She was at the precipice of her entire life changing and she did feel fear. There was no way to enter into loving someone without realizing she suddenly had so much more to lose. But she didn’t think about Lena like that. She was scared of things changing but her excitement far outweighs her reservations. She just needed a little time, and some reassurance by someone she loved and respected to be allowed to feel what she was. 

She never doubted she would be okay, Lena and Alex wouldn’t let her go, but she was not used to the feeling of being the one who needed saving. That’s what wouldn’t leave her alone when she got away from everything else. She had built her life around helping people, being the one to accomplish the impossible, bearing the burdens of the world on her shoulders as Atlas had. She always knew that she had people who were there to help her if she ever needed it but to be completely helpless was not comfortable for her. 

She crosses her legs as J’onns had been minutes ago and lets her brain relax. She doesn’t fight the thoughts swarming her brain but instead embraces them and lets them follow the paths they need to. She let her fears grow and be present but also be assuaged as the faces of those she loves and who love her take the forefront of her mind. 

She is finally realizing why J’onn actually enjoys this when the door to the training room is slammed opened so suddenly she shoots up in surprise. 

“Kara! What are you doing up there? Come down we need to test this on you!” Alex is practically buzzing with excitement as Kara drifts back down to the ground. 

“I was finally meditating Alex!” 

“You don’t meditate! You bug J’onn until he lets you go.” 

“But this time...” 

“Kara, I love you and I love that you have found peace or whatever but my body is literally 90% caffeine right now and I’m going to need you to follow me so I can stab you with a needle or I’m going to lose it.” 

Kara looks at her sister, eyeball twitching with what she can only assume is coffee overdose and laughs. 

“Kara!” 

“Okay, okay I’m coming.” 

She lets herself be dragged by the antithesis of patience that is her sister into the medbay where Lena is doing something important looking on her phone. 

“Just give me one second Darling and we can do this. Jess is having difficulty with our Japanese investors and I’m worried about her anxiety levels.” 

Kara side-eyes her sister (still twitching though it has extended to her hands doing some sort of fluttering). 

“Yeah, I wonder what that looks like.” 

“Codename shove the needle is a go in T-minus 60 seconds so I’m going to need the full attention of all useless lesbians in the vicinity pronto!” 

Lena and Kara exchange glances but quickly look away as to stop the laughter that is threatening at Alex’s horrific mix of terminology. Kara places a kiss on Lena’s forehead and is rewarded with a squeeze to the shoulder as she lowers herself into the chair. She places her arm on the stand and closes her eyes as Alex gets the Kryptonite tipped needle ready and starts to find a vein. Her hands are shaking so much Kara is genuinely concerned until Lena takes the needle out of Alex’s hand and waves her toward her own seat. 

Kara feels the sharp pinch of her skin being broken and cringes as pain she isn’t used to laces up her arm. 

“Don’t be a baby Kar,” Alex says unhelpfully, only to scoff at Kara’s stuck out tongue aimed vaguely in her direction as Kara’s eyes are still clenched shut. 

“Alright. So we’ve tested this on samples of both your DNA before and after you were infected and it should work to both stop the decay and reverse the effects that the virus has had. Are you ready?” 

“Let’s lock and load!” Alex all but shouts. 

“Thanks for the enthusiasm but I was asking Kara.” 

“Yes. Let’s do it.” 

Everything blurs. Kara feels the distinct disconnect of her mind from her body as she floats to another plane of existence. She watches below her as Alex and Lena watch her. She doesn’t say anything, knowing they won’t be able to hear her even if she did have a voice. She watches the serum enter her body and move toward her brain. It’s glowing and she wonders if they can see the way it spiderwebs in her veins racing upwards. The glow intensifies as it finds its target and a blast of light flashes. 

Kara wakes up back in her body. She didn’t realize the lack of energy she had been in stasis until it all comes rushing back. She stretches and it’s like her body is waking up from a deep sleep. 

“How do you feel?” Alex asks, her twitchiness has paused in the anticipation. 

“Good. I think. Better than I did. Awake?” 

Lena chuckles as she reads the monitorized data being spewed out of one of the many machines that is attached to Kara. 

“Her levels are within normal limits with little variation. We won’t know anything until the scans and retesting but so far so good.” 

“Should I leave this on?” Kara motions to the headpiece and watches Alex and Lena exchange a questioning glance. 

“I think for right now it’s best if you leave it on. Just in case. We are flying blind here Kar and I don’t want you to trial and error when the negatives are so dire.”

“I agree with your sister. Leave it on please, at least until we finish gathering data.” 

Kara can be patient. She can. But she has so much anxious jittery energy she needs to release. She’s not used to so much down time and before it made sense while she was sick but she doesn’t feel sick anymore. She feels alive and ready and who knows what’s going on outside that might need her attention. 

When she pulls herself out of the spinning that is going on in her brain she realizes that she hasn’t said anything for a couple minutes. Alex and Lena are looking at her worriedly but she smiles and they hesitatingly return it. 

“Okay. Whatever you guys want. But can we get something to eat while we wait for the results? I’m so hungry. Maybe some pizza. And potstickers! Oh can we please have potstickers! Lena, I know you like them too. And donuts. And some street tacos from that place I want to take Lena on a date.” She feels like she hasn’t eaten in weeks (a day maybe) and needs to make up for lost time. 

“That’s a good sign right?” Alex asks Lena like she is the one who knows what’s going on and they both aren’t making it up as they go. 

“I don’t know yet. Let’s go get the scans and you can start running blood tests.” 

Before Kara can open her mouth Lena adds getting her food the list, already pulling out her phone and sending several messages to Jess about what to have sent over. Kara reminds herself to remind Lena later that Jess really needs a raise. 

Kara gets her food, and manages to sit still for the MRIs and CAT scans that never seem to end. Lena and Alex are still running around checking this data and comparing it to that result but Kara watches their movements get more and more lackadaisical as the day continues until finally Alex falls asleep cradling her microscope. 

Lena last another half an hour but then she too succumbs to the inevitable and actually falls asleep standing (leaning against a wall.) Kara is there to catch her and bring her to a cot in one of the extra rooms. She doesn’t lay down with her quite yet, having to tuck Alex away in a room as well. She resists the urge to melt the handle, knowing it wouldn’t force Alex to stay in the room and not wanting to deal with the fallout. She kisses her sister’ forehead and blocks the errant hand swinging at her before tucking her in and turning off the light. 

When she returns to the room Lena is sleeping in she just stops. She watches the fretful sleep of the woman she loves for a few moments. Lena is so beautiful like this, resting and while not completely at peace the layers of her many masks continue to slip away as she falls deeper into unconsciousness. Kara knows she should be checking in with Winn, who is arguing with anyone who mentions the imprint of his keyboard still on his cheek. He is much more rested than most of the key people that have been working around the clock to help Kara and Kara is glad for it. She can’t bring herself to leave Lena though, even if the answers to her predicament are right around the corner. 

She lays down gently beside Lena, who curls toward her body heat even in sleep. She doesn’t want to wake her but can’t resist the opportunity to stroke her face, the smallest of touches just briefly as not to disturb her. Lena’s skin is so soft, so pale even beneath the makeup and Kara wants to hold onto this image of her. The evening out breathing of deep sleep, the twitching of her eyes as her never stopping brain continues to plug on, the soft grasping of her hands until they find purchase in Kara’s shirt pulling her closer still. She wraps her arms around Lena and relaxes into her. She doesn’t feel the need to rest, having spent the majority of the last couple days lying down, but even if she did she would fight it to remain sentient. She can’t help but want to protect Lena, even now while she is sleeping. She kisses the wrinkles between her eyes that pulls quickly and wonders about what she’s dreaming. She doesn’t make a move to remove the headgear though, at her most vulnerable it would be wrong to take advantage of this virus. She holds Len a little tighter and just watches her sleep. 

Hours pass swiftly before Lena wakes up still in Kara’s arms. She stiffens for a moment, realizing this is not the place she last remembers but when green connects with blue she relaxes back into Kara’s arms. 

“How long have I been out?” Lena’s voice is deeper from sleep and Kara loves the sound. 

“Only a few hours. You needed to rest Lena.” 

“I know Darling,” she says around a jaw cracking yawn. “Has anything happened?” 

“Winn is waiting for you and Alex to wake up. The tests came back but he hasn’t wanted to evaluate them. From what he was muttering they look good.” 

“We have to go…” 

“Just a few more minutes please.” 

Kara can feel the warring drives inside of Lena. The need to get back to work against the desire to stay, similar to what Kara is feeling as well. 

“Please Kara. I need to know.” 

“Okay.” She knows she sounds sad but she also knows that they will have time after this is all over. 

Lena looks at her, pausing in her movements of rising and raises her eyebrow, silently asking what’s going on in her mind. 

“I want to know too but I don’t want to leave yet.” It’s quiet, but the truest explanation she can offer. 

“I’m scared too,” Lena whispers back, hand searching for Kara’s as she extricates herself from the hold. 

“It’s not failure I’m scared of Lena. I know you two have figured it out, or at least gotten one step closer. It’s…” 

“I don’t understand…” Lena’s body has gone rigid, like she’s waiting for bad news. Like she’s waiting for something to happen that she can’t stand. Like she’s been here so many times before. 

“I’m just scared of after, of when we aren’t focused completely on trying to save me. I’m scared of not having a goal and just the vast unknown questions that we will be faced with next.” 

Lena smiles, not the response Kara was expecting. She hadn’t prepared herself for a smile. She honestly hadn’t prepared herself for anything beyond the moment of true vulnerability that she knew could have consequences. She tries to return to the calm that she had found in the training room, to the embracing of fear and its natural progression. But Lena smiles at her and she feels her racing heart slow. 

“You know the best thing about questions my love?” 

“What?” 

“They allow us a new path to finding the answers. I don’t know what’s going to happen next Kara, I haven’t been able to focus on anything but right now. But I know that we can go down it together. I can’t tell you it won’t be met with obstacles but I believe in us. Do you?” 

Kara answers her with a kiss. She didn’t know how much she needed to hear Lena’s reassurances until they fell from her lips. She needed them like she needs the pressure of said lips on hers now. She smiles into the kiss, the taste, the softness. She pulls Lena to her until she is laying down on top of her, their bodies tight against each other but still trying to get closer. Their kiss turns from innocent to desperate quickly, the heightened emotions of the past few days pouring into each other and it’s with great pain that Kara pulls back to breathe, the strain of her lungs causing her entire body to vibrate. 

“That was unexpected.” Lena smiles down at Kara as she kisses her once more and stands to go toward the bathroom to fix her ruined makeup and hair. Kara is a little smug at how thoroughly she has taken apart the usually put together CEO. She stretches and feels the energy flow through her body even as her heart rate returns to normal. 

“Thank you.” She calls toward the bathroom, knowing Lena can it as the door is still open, Kara watching her scrunched up nose as she takes in her appearance and tries to resettle her birds nest atop her head. 

“Don’t thank me yet. We don’t know if it worked.” 

“That’s not what I’m talking about Lena.” Kara stands and puts her borrowed sweats back on and pulls her hair back into a messy bun. 

“You can tell me anything Kara. I don’t want there to be secrets between us, and I never want you to feel like I’m not here to listen.” 

Kara pulls her into her arms and feels Lena wrap her own around her lower back. She holds her close for a moment before looking down at her. 

“I know. I’m just not used to relying on people.” 

“Are you the pot or the kettle Darling?” 

Kara lets the tension of the moment go as she laughs and feels Lena do the same still in her arms. 

“El Mayarah,” she kisses into Lena’s mouth. 

“Stronger together,” the brunette returns. 

Alex beats them back to the lab, though only by sprinting from the room when she wakes (Kara heard her string of cussing when she woke up and realized she had been once again forced to actually sleep.) 

She glares at Kara but softens when she notices Lena too looks more rested than a few hours ago. 

“It looks good Kar. All your scans came back clear, with regrowth of the damaged neurons even. There’s only one spot that is still concerning but it might just have been targeted first so the extent is deeper. But your blood work is almost back to completely normal. If you want you can try taking off the prototype.” 

Kara looks toward Lena who has all the printouts in her hands and is quickly analyzing the results. 

“I agree with Alex. You should be almost back to normal, hopefully some time in the sun will jumpstart the rest of your healing.” 

Kara reaches up, her fingers shaking as they take hold of the piece. She lifts it off her head minutely and isn’t hit with thoughts. She tries to reach out and focus on those around her, all watching her progress on baited breath and is met with a small buzzing but it’s barely noticeable. She takes it completely off her head and sets it on the table next to her. 

She’s not looking at anyone yet but when her eyes venture up she’s met with smiles of relief that mirror her own. 

“I think I’m fine.” 

Winn whoops from the corner and not even Alex’s stern glare can stop the celebrations around her. Lena rushes toward her and Kara sweeps her up in her arms twirling them around as she listens to Lena giggling. 

She sets her back down and when Lena reaches for her hand she hears it the moment her skin touches Lena’s. 

_It worked! It actually worked! I can’t believe it. We did it. ___

____

____

Kara schools her reaction as best she can but sees Alex flinch at her attempt. She smiles and hugs Lena close to her, catching her sister’s eye before Alex turns away from them. 

“I’m so proud of you guys. Thank you.” 

She knows she has to tell them but she can’t take away this victory. Not yet. 

One week later 

“So,” Alex says as she enters Kara’s apartment without knocking and starts a pot of coffee. 

“I’m fine Alex. I told her and she was upset but we talked about it.” 

“And how was that?” She is now rummaging through Kara’s fridge like there will miraculously be something to eat. She should really know better by now. 

“I mean she wanted to keep working on a new cure but she has so much to do already and really it isn’t a big deal. You guys already agreed that it’s not harming me anymore.” 

“Yeah but it’s still not something that’s normal Kar.”

“What about me is normal?” She says defensively. Kara knows Alex is just trying to help but she really doesn’t want to hash it out anymore. Lena agreed to go back to work and they have been trying to get back to their everyday lives. 

“Come on Kara,” Alex has given up her search and sits at the dining table sipping her coffee. 

“I don’t know what you want me to say Alex. She said she’s fine and that we are good. I just want to move on.” 

“As long as you guys are talking…” Alex breaks off as the door swings open to Lena holding a bakery box of goodies. 

“Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t know you would be here.” Lena fidgets with the box still standing in the doorway. 

“It’s cool Luthor, thank god you brought food. This one never can keep her cupboards stocked.” 

“I have a high metabolism!” Kara whines as she walks over to her girlfriend and sets the box down before greeting her with a kiss. 

Lena melts into her, returning the kiss and stepping out of the way so Kara can shut the door. 

“Hi,” she says as she pulls back a little to look at Kara. 

“Hi.” 

“Yes hello to the both of you. Really you two can be so gross. I know for a fact that she was here last night because someone turned off her com.” 

Kara sticks her tongue out at her sister, grabbing Lena’s hand and walking toward the table. 

“Don’t be rude Alex. She brought breakfast.” 

Lena grabs a cup of coffee, putting sugar and cream in that makes Alex “I’m a badass agent and I drink my coffee black” pull a face. 

“That she did. Even some cinnamon rolls.” 

“Mine!” Kara makes a grab for the roll on Alex’s plate but lets her pull it out of reach. 

“Darling there’s plenty, I had them stuff the box extra full,” Lena teases. She’s right. Kara glances at the box barely containing all the different kind of danish Noonans has to offer. 

“But the cinnamon rolls Lena!” 

Alex relishes the stolen roll, biting into it slowly and making noises that aggravate Kara to no end. She tries to glare at her sister but can’t manage it with Lena still in her sight. She can’t bring herself to feel any animosity when she’s around. Kara pulls the rest of the rolls toward her and quickly makes her way through them. Lena nibbles on a croissant, shaking her head at the siblings antics. 

“Well I’m going to actually go to work now, seeing as some of us can’t get away with lying around on the couch all day.” 

“I wasn’t allowed to come back to the DEO until today! You were the one who signed the bed rest orders!” 

Alex throws a wink in Lena’s direction as she grabs her motorcycle helmet and shrugs back into her leather jacket. 

“Later lovebirds. Enjoy your morning frivolities. Kara we have a meeting at 11, try to be on time for once.” 

Lena pokes the crinkle in her brow after the door closers, moving her chair closer to Kara’s so they can more easily hold hands as Kara finishes the box of treats. 

Kara soaks up the perfection of the morning spent with her two favorite people, even if one of them is her no good cinnamon roll stealing sister. She runs her thumb across Lena’s knuckles where their hands are still joined and smiles at her girlfriend, not even upset that she can feel her face form into a dopey grin. Lena blushes when she meets her eyes and smiles back. 

They are in a comfortable silence, both knowing they will have to leave and go to their respected jobs eventually but for the moment they are just together. Lena’s mind is resonating calm and Kara gets snippets of memories, with and without her of Lena being happy. 

“I heard you two you know,” Lena says. She’s quiet but her words are sure. Kara hears the conversation in Lena’s mind of Alex and her talking at the DEO, realizing Lena hadn’t been fully asleep. 

She kisses Lena’s hand before pulling hers away, trying to respect the fact that Lena has something to say and not wanting to get it confused with her thoughts. Kara waits as Lena stars to pick at her cuticles, one of the few tells she has when she’s uncomfortable. 

“I think she’s right.” 

Kara’s stomach drops as fear floods her system with adrenaline. She wants so much to take Lena’s hand. To hear her thoughts. To be reassured. She tucks her hands underneath her thighs and tries to not let herself freak out.

Lena smiles at her and she’s comforted. The small twitch of her lips letting her know it will be okay. She hopes. 

“When we finally admitted that we had feelings for each other we were thrown into crisis mode. We started in the middle and I don’t want to skip those beginning steps.” 

“I think you’re right.” 

“I want it all with you Kara. And that terrifies me.” 

“I’m scared too. I’ve never wanted someone like I want you.” 

“I don’t know how we back pedal, because I don’t want it to be a step back. But a readjustment if you will. I want this to be forever Darling. If I didn’t I wouldn’t have said anything.” 

“I want you. Forever and a day. I want to do this.” 

Lena holds out her hand for Kara to take, nodding at her apprehension. 

“Forever. But we have to do it right.” 

“Can I…” Kara pauses. She can’t find words for what she wants to say and feels herself blush in frustration and embarrassment. 

“Ask me.” Lena lends her strength, giving when Kara needs it. 

“Can I take you on a date?” It’s fast and blurs together as she tries to rush through the statement that sounds even sillier out loud than it did in her head. 

She hears the acceptance in her mind but when Lena laughs and says yes she finally takes a breath. 

“I would love to go on a date with you.” 

She leans forward, Lena meeting her halfway for a kiss. When she closes her eyes she sees herself in Lena’s mind. She sees how much she already is in love with Kara. She sees the possibilities of the future. Kara kisses her harder, drawing Lena in like the air she needs to breath. She wants to tell Lena how much she loves her too but for now she shows her with gentle touches as her mind races with ideas for their date. Their future. Together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the Sam/Alex chapter! I promise this time. Also Lena and Kara’s date!  
> Thank you for reading and all the great responses! It makes me so happy to continue this story :)


	5. Our Hands Clasped So Tight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Lena’s date! Also something about a pineapple, a huge surprise, and lots of rambling Kara.

“ALEX I NEED YOUR HELP!” Kara bursts into her sister’s apartment in the middle of the night. She knows that she could wait for the next morning but this is too important and she literally can’t. 

“ALEX!” 

A moment later she is tackled to the ground as she gets ready to open her sister’s bedroom door. She tries to cradle the human who is in the process of tackling her so they don’t get hurt when they land atop her but instead hits the ground with an oof and watches said human (her sister) roll out of the tackle effortlessly and pull her gun, pointing without hesitation at the smiling blonde on the floor. Kara tucks her head into her palm as her elbow rests on the ground, holding her other hand up in the universal sign for don’t shoot me as Alex assess the situation. 

“Damn it Kara are you fucking kidding me right now?” Alex holsters her weapon and stands from her crouch, visibly shaking with suppressed adrenaline and at this point Kara would bet a little bit of anger. 

“Sorry Alex.” Kara sits up from her prone position but doesn’t move to stand yet. Alex has started pacing, nothing good can happen when Alex is pacing, so Kara decides to wait it out. 

She looks around the apartment and recommits to helping decorate it. It’s so blah and drab. She knows Alex has this whole thing going about being so badass and tough and all that but could it really hurt her to have a couple throw pillows on her leather couch? Because of course it’s leather. This is Alex Danvers she was talking about. Everything about the place is industrial and while it’s top notch and expensive looking it’s just boring. Kara knows a little meadow green could help, maybe some Tuscany sea blue, or some butterfly orange. She’s not sure these are real colors but really who names them these things? Don’t even get her started on lipsticks. She doesn’t think it’s particularly kind to name something harlot just because of the rich color, especially considering that’s the shade her girlfriend tends to favor. And she is definitely not a harlot! Oh Alex is still ranting. 

Kara pulls herself from her tangential thought patterns and tries to focus up at her sister who looks like she is on reason four why this was not an okay for Kara to do if the finger she is pointing at is any indication. And where did the pineapple come from? Alex keeps pointing to it like it means something. Is she the pineapple? 

Kara stands and cautiously approaches her (still pacing) sister and pulls her to a stop. 

“Alex I’m sorry but I really need your help.” 

“Put that pout away right now Kara Zor-El!”

“Danvers, you forgot the Danvers.” 

“I won’t associate our last names until you tell me what’s going on and if the next words out of your mouth start or end with Lena Luthor I am going to shoot you.”

“But why would you do that? It’s not like you would actually hurt me, and last time the ricochet ended up killing that nice vase that you got for Christmas.” 

“Kara…” 

“Okay, so it kind of does have to do with Lena but I swear Alex it’s an emergency!”

Alex’s tone immediately softens as Kara gets more worked up. She reaches out for her little sister but Kara smiles and shakes her head. Whether she is getting space between the two of them before the next words come out of her mouth is anyone’s guess. 

“Kara, is she okay? What happened?” Alex is giving Kara her full attention now, not even edging toward the coffee machine anymore. 

“She said I could take her out on a date and I don’t have any idea what I should do Alex!” 

This time when Alex shoots her the ricochet breaks a window, from which the neighbors can hear the special agent screaming at her little sister for the next half an hour. 

The next day at the DEO Kara is still trying to get into Alex’s good graces by bringing her coffee, and food, and not being in her eyesight much but really this is time sensitive!

She decides while waiting out Alex’s annoying pity party about losing sleep she should ask other people for help. But she can’t say it’s for Lena. She’s a journalist, and a totally stealth one at that, she will just ask about the best dates they’ve been on and see if she can work with any of it. 

Winn is the nerdiest and least romantic person she is currently surrounded with so Kara thinks she’ll set the bar low by starting with him. Low and behold her surprise when Winn doesn’t actually have the best track record with real dates, Kara really needs to fake shock better because his scowl says she did not hit it right. He actually has the most perfect idea for a date that he is still waiting to come to fruition. She touches his arm briefly when overcome with genuine emotion and realizes horrifyingly that it’s her cousin he has been courting in his mind and sprints away, ignoring his calls of apology and embarrassment. This is why she avoided Winn when she was able to read minds, way too much no to be around. Kal? Really? And why was he almost shining in Winn’s mind. STOP! 

Vasquez is a much better option. Much safer also since getting a word out of the taciturn woman was challenge enough when they were talking about work, personal matters were even less likely to be spoken about. Kara needs something to fully commit her brain power to right now. She wonders if bleach would actually hurt her brain for a moment but decides it wouldn’t help in the long run with Alex being mad at her. 

“Vasquez!” she skips over to the agent monitoring benign activity on social media platforms that have been coalesced into one screen of specific tag words that the DEO looks for. 

“Ma’am.” Vasquez doesn’t look away from the screen but Kara sees the slight upward curve of the corner of her mouth that’s about the biggest smile she can expect from the agent. 

“Again with the Ma’am. How many times do I have to ask you to not? I mean one Danvers demanding that moniker is enough don’t you think? Save it for Alex, please call me Kara. Or Supergirl if we are in mixed company. But really Kara is just fine.” 

“Yes Ma… Supergirl.” Kara doesn’t know if it still counts as a win since it’s an official title and all but it’s better than ma’am at any rate. She still gets the heebie jeebies from that one. The need for so many official titles and distancing languages is so unnecessary in her mind. 

“What can I help you with Supergirl?” Kara realizes she’s been going on a lot of internalized tangents the last day or so but she is still trying to wrap her head around the fact that she has a date with Lena Luthor! And when her mind is quiet for even a moment that’s what flashes back. In neon lights. With rainbows. And lots and lots of fireworks. Wow she really is a special kind of gay. Darn it Alex was right. Darn it times two she’s doing it again!

“Sorry! Sorry! I’m a little distracted. Anyways I need your help if you’re not horribly busy looking at “ETGOHOME”’s page. That’s not even original! Plus rude! How can you do this all day? Oh Rao is that person’s handle really “SpaceBoned&Prone”? Anyways, help?” 

Vasquez hides her smile quickly but Kara has above average eyes and catches it long before it can be shoved away. 

“Of course Supergirl, I wasn’t aware there was any kind of situation happening. I can assist you in any capacity.” 

“Okay, so I am doing an… article about first dates and I was wondering what the best first date you have ever been on was. Did you plan it and if so what did you do? How long in advance did you start getting everything ready? Did it go well?” 

“A first date?” 

“Yes…” 

“This is what you want my help with?”

“Yes…” Kara’s enthusiasm is shrinking quickly and she’s realizing just how awkward this is. 

“Kara, please tell me you are taking Lena Luthor on a date finally and not trying to set me up on some horrendous blind date?” 

Kara bursts out laughing. Realizing yes, this is exactly how it was being portrayed and now she totally understands the look of shock and uncomfortable ness on the agent’s face. 

“Yes! Lena! Me! Dating!” Kara really is trying to stop laughing but every time she looks back at the woman in front of her she starts again. 

“I’m so sorry. This was a terrible idea. Not that you couldn’t have helped but I’m just so distracted and trying to kill time until Alex is talking to me again. Oh I’m sorry! Not that you are just someone to kill time with. I really need to just stop.” 

“Kara. It’s okay. I’m not exactly approachable. This is the only job I’ve ever wanted, getting recruited for a team lead by a passionate and intelligent woman inside the government is not something that I ever imagined and I have never wanted to jeopardize my place on this team by being anything less than professional.” 

“This isn’t just a team though. This is a family. You are part of our family.” 

“I am realizing that. This isn’t like any other team I’ve seen or been on. And not just because it has two aliens on it. You guys love each other, actually care about each other and the work we are doing. That’s rare, and I want to continue to be a part of it.” 

“Of course you will be a part of it. You already are.” 

“Thank you Supergirl.” 

“Not that you can’t, because you can all the time you know, but I never really expected you to tell me all of that.” 

“I guess knowing you could read my mind anyways made it easier, why hide it when I don’t have to?” Vasquez shifted uncomfortably, back and forth on her feet while still maintaining the rigid stance of a trained operative. 

“Oh…um… I can’t actually do that anymore. I mean I can but only if we have skin-to-skin contact and only one person at a time. Not like before.”

Vasquez flushes immediately and casts her eyes down. Kara allows her this moment of mortification by turning away and x-raying the walls of the DEO, the ones she can actually see through that is. Darn lead not letting her distract herself. After a couple minutes Vasquez regains control of her face and clears her throat. Kara turns back to her smiling and hopes this isn’t going to ruin any chance that was just made at them having any kind of actual friendship. 

“I’m glad you told me. But sorry you didn’t know you didn’t have to.” 

“It’s really okay. I should have said it all years ago. No point regretting it now.” 

“Well good! Maybe if you want, you could come to game night sometime. I mean there are more than just people who work at the DEO and it’s fun, and there’s food! Only if you want to though.” 

“Maybe,” she says as she turns back to the monitors, a cue Kara has gotten more than enough times from Alex to recognize as this is the end of this conversation so go away. 

She turns to walk out of the command center and go make Alex talk to her when Vasquez asks her to wait. She spins around, the crinkle in her brow is happening, she can feel it. 

“The first date I took my wife on was to the movies. She wanted to see the new transformers movie. It doesn’t have to be anything huge, simplify it as much as possible. Just think about Lena.” When she smiles this time it fills her whole face. Kara reciprocates it fully. She is itching to hug the other woman but baby steps. 

“Thank you. Bring your wife to game night!” Vasquez chuckles as Kara leaves the room. 

She turns to start down the hallway toward Alex’s office but is met with the redhead herself. 

“How much of that did you hear?” Kara shoots accusingly toward her sister who may be a secret agent but Kara will never approve of her skulking, and not just because it’s better than Kara’s. 

“Adopting another stray are we?” Alex smiles at her tentatively but it’s enough to know she heard the whole heart to heart. Vasquez would be mortified. 

“Alex you can’t…” 

“Kara you know I wouldn’t. Ever. That’s not any of my business. I’m glad she told you though. You always have been annoyingly good at getting people to open up.” 

“Does this mean you’re not mad at me anymore?” Kara asks, hope inflating her where righteous anger had left. 

“I’m still annoyed, but I’ve never been all that good at staying mad at you Kar. Even if you make my life a million times more difficult.” Alex pulls her into a hug and Kara gratefully relaxes in her sister’s arms. She brings in Alex’s smell every time she breathes, the combination uniquely hers underneath her cologne and the smell of wind still in her hair from her morning motorcycle ride. It’s the smell of safety. 

“You just got all soft when she started talking about how good a leader you were. Don’t let it go to your head Alex, it’s already barely fitting in your helmet these days.” 

Alex squeezes her tighter before poking her hard in the side, making Kara squirm but not enough to break Alex’s hold. She can feel the laugh radiating through her sister and is glad they aren’t fighting. She knows it wasn’t really a fight but Kara hates when people are mad at her. 

She pulls back from Alex, who is totally shooting her a full of herself smirk, and gently rustles her hair. The sound of displeasure erupting from Alex enough to have her laughing this time. 

“She’s right Kar,” Alex starts as they begin walking toward her office. 

“Yes I know Alex, you are the bomb.com, the best, the top notch, the numero uno. Really that ego is getting out of control.” 

“I meant about Lena you goob. You don’t have to do anything crazy, hell you’ve taken the woman on so many dates already I don’t know why you are freaking out about this. You bring her lunch basically every other day. You take her to your favorite places in the city for dinner that you don’t even take me to because they are so hush hush. You fly her in sushi from Tokyo when she is having a bad day. You scour the world for plumerias when she’s sad. For god’s sake Kar, you have been wooing this woman for more than a year.” 

“But this is different! Those were all as a friend. This is an actual date Alex and I don’t want to mess it up.” Kara knows she is whining, and probably being a little ridiculous but this is Lena. This is LENA. She isn’t going to have another chance at a first date and she wants it to be perfect. Just like her. 

“A date?”

“Yes!” 

“With Lena?”

“Yes!” 

“Who is your girlfriend already?”

“ALEX!”

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. This is me officially being serious.” Alex puts on her best agent face and wipes all emotion from her being. She stands up straight like the strings of her spine have been pulled upwards and opens her stance, crossing her hands behind her back and tilting her chin up the slightest degree. It’s almost unnerving for Kara to watch her sister become this leader on the drop of a dime but it’s also just what she needs right now. 

“Okay, so I was thinking maybe Paris, I mean it’s the city of love for a reason. Then I thought it might be too cliché so I started thinking Italy. I mean it’s still just as romantically connotative but a little less what she would be expecting. But still that didn’t seem right so I pulled up the most amazing places to take a billionaire on a first date and I got this list but nothing seems right Alex!” 

“Do you know if Lena likes the places on this list?”

“Yeah, she’s been to like all of them and told me stories from a bunch of the places. She’s so well traveled Alex, and I mean I’m Supergirl so of course I’ve been to a lot of places but it’s always to pop in and save the world not to actually explore. Though I don’t know how much time she actually has for exploring since she is usually there for work.” 

“Kara you dolt. Stop trying to make this some big grand gesture. This is Lena fucking Luthor. You don’t think she’s already gotten her fill of high class restaurants where you never eat enough and everyone is there judging you? She’s been to them all! You are finally getting your chance and your bogging it up!”

“I know! I need help Alex!” She’s barely winning the war against her tears at this point and it’s only a matter of time before they start falling. 

Alex sits down next to her after guiding her to the couch in her office. She grabs her some tissue. When Kara’s done wiping at her eyes Alex grabs her by the shoulders and turns her around. 

“Kara you know Lena better than anyone in the entire world. She has given you so much and that was just in friendship. You know what she loves and more importantly what she doesn’t. Do you know how fucking long she went on about when you took her to Big Belly Burger for her birthday at the last minute? Ages. It was nauseating honestly. She doesn’t want to be swept away by the girl of steel off to some exotic local where neither of you are really comfortable. She wants to go on a date with Kara, her best friend. So pump the breaks and think about Lena.” 

Kara pauses. She thinks of the afternoons in Lena’s office, sipping coffee and eating pastries. Of the lunches where Kara inhales things at 10 times the rate Lena is eating but always somehow makes her chuckle and look at her with her head tilted a little and a smile taking over her face. She thinks of walks to and from dinner. Of movie nights. Of all the times they have gotten distracted talking and not realized hours had passed in the blink of an eye. She sees Lena in her mind, the beautiful, strong, amazing, woman that Lena is. 

“I know exactly what to do.”

The next night is go night. As in the night she gets to go on a date with Lena finally. She doesn’t remember much of the day. She doesn’t actually know if she went to work but since her phone had only blown up with minimal messages from Snapper she thinks she at least made an appearance. Honestly the only concrete thing she can remember is the messages from Lena. 

There had been good morning messages, something she was so happy to have started because now she wakes up most mornings to a good morning (and now a heart!) with minimum emojis because Lena really isn’t that kind of texter but Kara more than makes up for it with her own spew of adorable little characters. This morning she thinks Lena’s means something about being excited, the little bug eyed one could totally mean that, but the countdown timer is hard to ignore. It marks 7pm, when Kara was set to pick up Lena for their date. They were going on a date! 

The day goes by, Kara thinks there was probably some kind of fire because her outfit smells vaguely of smoke, but she can’t be bothered with the details. She knows she saved people, their faces making a lasting impression on her of course, but the actual saving from what is kind of a blur. Lena. Lena Luthor. Lena Luthor was going on a date with her in little less than an hour. AND SHE HAD NOTHING TO WEAR!

She could do this. She knows that it is casual, having had to explain the concept to a certain adorable beyond reason girlfriend of hers when she inquired about attire. But for the life of her she can not find anything in her rolling closet that matches the description for what she is going for. Thank Rao for superspeed because Kara manages to try on every single thing she owns (where and when did she get that onesie?) before she settles on the outfit that she started with. No it wasn’t Alex’s idea (it kind of was). She was admiring herself in the mirror and fretting over the not too tight but not loose jeans and tucked in t-shirt that matched her eyes with a very casual plaid over it that created a look saying I’m ready to have fun but still be comfortable she was hoping to achieve when her phone alarm went off letting her know in no uncertain terms if she didn’t leave right now she would be late. 

She rushes out the door, remembering to grab her wallet at the last minute and all but sprints to Lena’s apartment. She starts and stops so many times on her way over, trying to remind herself that humans can’t actually run as fast as she could without looking a little winded and flushed but ultimately decides it’s not worth worrying over and sets a fast pace until she reaches Lena. Flying would have been faster but she really doesn’t have the concentration for that right now. 

She opts for the elevator, knowing her clumsiness is only likely to increase as she nears Lena’s actual apartment, and she really doesn’t have time to break a stairwell. A very expensive stairwell because of course Lena lives in one of the best apartment buildings in the city, though not tackily so. She has the entire top floor to herself and a private elevator but Kara knows for a fact she would never think of stopping people from using it, and even encourages Mrs. Swartz from the floor below to take her elevator so she can avoid the social anxiety of crowds. Kara sighs, forgetting to spend this extra time pumping herself up (or calming down). Lena is just so perfect, she’s so good. Kara considers it a privilege to get to be the one to try to show her that for as long as possible. 

She exits the elevator and is immediately greeted by Lena’s door, complete with a camera and palm and retina reader for all those trying to gain entry. She appreciates how seriously Lena takes her safety, even if the woman is known for throwing herself into the fray with little regard for consequences. She takes a deep breath, letting it fill her lungs and attempts to calm her racing heart even minutely before she knocks on Lena’s door. 

The door is drawn open and all the calm Kara spent trying to gain hold of is thrown immediately out of the atmosphere. Lena is wearing skin tight jeans. Black and hugging every single delicious curve of her legs. Kara thought she appreciated those legs in the pencil skirts Lena is partial to wearing at the office but that is nothing compared to her currently denim covered ones in front of her. Kara forgets about deep breaths. She forgets her name in that moment and it’s only at the soft chuckle and the “up here Darling,” that she remembers to take in the rest of Lena’s outfit, and her in general. She’s topped the sinful jeans with an off the shoulder loose shirt, as red as the lipstick coating her lips. It’s a hair too short and the bottom allows for the slimmest of slivers of Lena’s stomach to be on display. Her hair is loose from it’s normal bun and falls in waves, held back by a pair of expensive looking sunglasses. She’s holding a light jacket in her arms, black like her jeans, and Kara thinks she’s the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen in this galaxy or any other. 

“Is this okay? I really don’t know how to do casual very well, it wasn’t a concept taught in the Luthor household but it was either this or a dress and you said not to wear one of those…” Lena trails off and the hint of insecurity laced nervousness is enough for Kara’s brain to reboot and stop just staring at her. Rao she hopes she didn’t drool. 

“Lena you look… You… Beautiful… Lena.” Kara tries. She tries really hard, she writes for a living! She has an affinity for languages for Rao’s sake and English is one of the dozens she knows! 

Lena seems to receive the message and blushes at Kara’s attempted compliment. Kara is itching to touch her, to run the tips of her fingers over the exposed skin of her stomach, to trace her curves with hands and tongue, to kiss her face. She reaches out a hand that Lena accepts and pulls her gently toward her into a hug. Once Lena is in her arms, hugging her back tightly as she too takes a moment to come back to herself, Kara feels herself start to relax. 

“You look perfect. Rao Lena, you always look beautiful but to see you like this. I don’t know how I am going to even function going out in public with you right now.” Kara doesn’t try for anything but honesty, and it pours out of her mouth to float down to the shorter woman still in her arms. 

She feels Lena laugh, she loves her laugh so much, and and she pulls back enough to look up at Kara. Kara holds eye contact with Lena, admiring the smirk on her face, the blush still in her cheeks, the carefully done makeup that is flawless but nothing compared to the woman beneath it. She meets Lena halfway when she goes up on her toes for a kiss (she’s not in heels and the height difference without them is just about the most adorable thing Kara has ever experienced!). 

“You look great too Kara,” she says as she pulls away and links their hands. “You know you didn’t have to wear that tonight.” 

Kara touches the adaptation of the dampener she has connected to her glasses. Lena and Alex finished the design only days before and made it as inconspicuous as possible. It hooked onto Kara’s glasses, barely bigger than a coin, and nullified her new ability. She wasn’t planning on wearing it all the time, J’onn already having offered to help her adapt to her new power now that it seemed to be around for good, but tonight she had chosen to. 

“I know, I just wanted tonight to be about you and I, not including any other distractions. I know you said I don’t have to wear it around you, and I won’t, but Lena you are already making it impossible for me to focus, so I don’t need anything else happening in my brain but my own jumbled up thoughts. Are you upset?”

“Of course not Kara. I just don’t want you to feel like I’m trying to hide anything from you.” 

“I don’t. I promise.” She kisses the promises into Lena’s knuckles, before holding their linked hands to her face. Lena’s skin was so soft, and the temptation to touch her was one she could not ignore if she tried. It wasn’t that she was worried about Lena’s thoughts being in her head tonight, she just wanted them to be on an even playing field. This was the only first date they got and she wanted them both to experience it as equally as possible. 

“Are you ready?” 

“Sure you don’t want to tell me where we are going? You know I’m not one for surprises usually considering they tend to be the me being thrown in the back of a van kind.” 

Kara knows she is going for levity but the memories of Lena’s life being in danger make her stand taller, inflating her chest. She just stops herself from putting her hands on her hips in her Supergirl pose as she catches sight of Lena’s suppressed giggles. 

“I promise it’s a good surprise. At least I hope so. I really hope you’ll like it Lena.” 

Lena brushes a stray hair from her face and tucks it behind her ear, squeezing their fingers together gently. 

“If you’ll be there I’m sure I will love it.” 

Kara returns her smile and leads her to the elevators. 

They are laying in the park, heads side by side and bodies sprawled out pell mell. The remnants of their picnic are littered around them, Kara keeping an eye on the ones threatening to blow away in the light breeze. Their scooters are parked next to each other, leaning against a tree. Kara is pointing to a grouping of stars and trying to get Lena to follow her finger.

“Kara there is no constellation called the scary clown!” Lena laughs, carefree and fully. 

“Lena I was 13! Just crash landed on the planet and Alex showed me the IT movie! I could see nothing but clowns for months! They hide in the sneakiest of places! Including the Earth stars!” 

Lena rolls onto her side, facing Kara as she props her head in her hand, still laughing. Kara looks up at her and wonders how it is possible that from every single angle Lena looks so stunning. She’s quite certain someone’s nostrils should not be so attractive. She’ll have to ask Alex. On second thought there’s no way she’s going to tell Alex without having to go through months of nose related jokes. 

When she finally stops laughing at poor tiny Kara’s “irrational” fear of clowns she kisses the crinkle from her brows. Kara waits for more kisses, eyes closed and hoping, but opens her eyes when she hears Lena shuffling around. She opens her arms to allow Lena to lay with her, head tucked over her heart, and wraps her arms around her. She looks back up at the stars, Lena no longer staring at them, instead closing her eyes and letting the happiness soak into her. 

“Thank you Kara. Tonight was absolutely perfect.” 

“Even if I burned your smores?”

“Even so.” 

They had ridden scooters around the city, Lena jumping up and down upon discovering that was their mode of transportation for the evening. Kara had not almost walked through a pole because of certain distractible things happening when Lena did so. They explored the parts of National City that neither of them had time to during their usually hectic schedules, eating from small family owned restaurants and food carts alike. They raced each other in deserted alleys, Lena’s victorious smile worth the loss to the normally competitive Kryptonian. They serpentined the roads just outside the city limits, taking their time to appreciate the beauty around them once they had left the congestion of the city. 

Kara had beckoned for Lena to follow her down an almost hidden dirt path that lead to a small abandoned park, the forest surrounding it had almost taken it back, but the play structures were still visible beneath the moss and vines. Surrounding them on all sides were trees, great tall and beautiful trees that looked to reach the sky. The meadow they made their picnic in was overrun and uneven and perfect. 

When they had gotten off their bikes Lena had pulled off her helmet and shook out her hair until it cascaded back down, the top a little mussed from being stuck in a helmet all night. She did a full body stretch that pulled her shirt even higher and Kara dropped everything in her arms, carefully hidden earlier so they wouldn’t have to drag it all over on the backs of their scooters. Lena had raised her devilish little eyebrow at her and laughed at what Kara could only assume was the look of sheer wonder on her face. She smiled and threw her arms out, spinning around and around until she was too dizzy to stand. When she fell Kara caught her, and they spun around together. 

They had picked out food, Kara thought about trying to feed Lena some of it, but even she had some restrictions on cheesiness levels. For this date at least. When they had eaten their fill, Kara could always eat more but she found tonight she couldn’t feel anything but joy which surpassed her hunger, they had laid down and started to show each other the stars. Lena’s recall for constellations was as astoundingly accurate as it was impressive. She told Kara she had spent many evenings doing this when she was growing up, with Lex. He would tell her stories to help her memorize the stars in the sky and even though she had a photographic memory she would feign forgetfulness so he would tell her again. 

Kara hadn’t offered comfort in that moment. She hadn’t told Lena she was sorry for what happened to her brother. Lena didn’t need nor want to hear that from one more person. She offered her unending support in the form of listening to whatever Lena wanted to tell her about the older brother she knew instead of the man who the world thought they did. She offered her a kiss on her forehead when Lena was momentarily overcome by memories, and another kiss when Lena had thanked her for listening. 

Now she was holding the most complex, perfect woman she had ever known in her arms at the end of their date and she couldn’t think of anywhere else she would rather be. Ever. She wondered how long they could stay here. Of course later she would blame this errant thought as the cause of her phone ringing that exact moment. 

“NO! I am in my oasis! Why did we even bring out phones?”

“Because the only people who would be contacting us right now would only be doing it if there was an emergency.” Lena replies, far too logically for Kara’s current state of annoyance. 

“But I don’t want there to be an emergency Lena!” 

“Darling, you can’t always get what you want.” 

“I have you though.” 

“Kara please answer your phone, you can continue to make me swoon later.” Kara knows Lena’s teasing her but she also can see in the dark and make out the hint of color that has come into Lena’s cheeks. 

“Alex this literally better be important.” 

“I need to talk to Lena. Kara, I’m so sorry but I need Lena to come back right now!” 

“What’s going on?” 

“Please Kar, give her the phone.” Alex sounds frantic and Kara’s adrenaline floods. Alex never sounds like this. She was hoping for something she could ignore but every part of her that had been at peace moments ago was filled with the urge to help her sister. 

Lena takes the phone from Kara, sitting up with her and putting her hand over Kara’s heart where her head had just been, trying to comfort Kara even before knowing what was wrong. 

Lena is off the phone quickly and turns to Kara, pulling her up until they are both standing. 

“Alex is okay. Everyone is okay. Ruby had an accident and is in the ER, but it’s not serious. Can you take me back to my apartment please? I need to get her something.” 

Kara feels the dread she had been holding leave her, her muscles tensed for take off unclenching as the words of reassurance wash over her. Lena’s still holding her hand, watching for her reaction and she pulls herself back into her present. 

“Ruby? Sam’s daughter? I don’t understand.” 

“I’ll explain later Darling, but if you could please fly us there I’ll tell you after we get to the hospital.” 

Kara picks Lena up, thinking twice as hard about being gentle as she still comes down from the nightmare of imagining Alex hurt without her there to help. She waits for Lena to get comfortable and adjusted, holding her hands clasped tightly behind Kara’s head, before she hovers in the air. She takes flight, not racing but not going as leisurely as she wanted to the first time she got to take Lena flying again. Lena’s voice is muffled but reassuringly steady as she kisses the tops of Kara’s collarbone and her neck, mouthing soft streams of words to Kara as she flies. She realizes a couple minutes in she is telling her the stories of the constellations and she is filled with gratitude and love for this woman. She squeezes her tighter against her as she flies them back to the city. 

They arrive at the hospital within an hour, Kara much less calm than Lena seems to be upon her explaining that Ruby had fallen off the couch and fractured her wrist. She still doesn’t know what her sister is doing there but Alex is the one who greets her in the lounge. 

Alex stops her pacing long enough to hug both Kara and Lena before ushering then down the hall to the room Sam and Ruby are in. Sam hugs both of them as well before the screeching of the almost teenager pulls all of their attention to the hospital bed. 

Ruby is lying down, arm propped up in a temporary cast and making grabbing motions with her good hand until Lena offers her the stuffed giraffe they had stopped and gotten from Lena’s apartment. 

Lena leans down to gently hug her goddaughter. 

“I’m so sorry Ruby. I didn’t realize you had left Edwin at my place when you slept over.”

Ruby hugs her back quickly and then draws the battered stuffed animal to her chest. 

“Thank you Lena for getting him. I know you two were on a date. I’m so sorry.” Sam apologizes. 

“Don’t worry about it. Really Sam it wasn’t a problem.” 

Kara nods her agreement at the remorseful mother who is still watching her daughter, heart in her eyes and smile on her lips. 

“I’m glad we could bring it.” Kara agrees quickly. She uses her x-ray vision to assess the break and sees its not quite a clean crack through her ulna. 

“She’s been so brave. I was terrified,” Alex has not resumed her pacing but the nervousness radiates off of her as she too looks down at Ruby. 

“What are you doing here Alex?” 

“She was getting take away from the same place Rubes and I were and we invited her to come back to ours.” Sam supplies, eyes finding Alex as Ruby settles in, pain medication making her fall into a fitful sleep still clutching the giraffe. 

“You did huh?” Lena raises an eyebrow at her longtime friend, communicating silently in a way that Kara is trying to as well with Alex who is skillfully avoiding her eye contact.

“Ruby recognized her from the L-Corp adoption event that you and Alex came to last month,Kara. It seems she left an impression on my daughter, and who was I to leave poor Alex alone with her take out?” 

Kara smiles remembering all the puppies from the successful day of finding homes for the dogs at the shelter L-Corp sponsored, Alex blushes and continues to not look at anyone but Ruby, and Sam and Lena continue to have their silent conversation. 

“Kara, let’s go get coffee for everyone. From the break room.” Alex finally says to her after the silence became awkward. Kara is genuinely worried about her considering how hard she is motioning with her head. This was the not the same top of the class at “spy school” older sister she was used to. 

“That would be great Darling, I’m sure Sam would love some as well.” 

Kara gives Lena a quick kiss on the cheek as she is all but dragged out of the room by her sister. The moment they get out of earshot Alex abruptly stops and turns to Kara, the younger woman almost running into the fidgeting redhead. 

“What was she thinking? Did tonight go well? I mean of course not, her daughter fell and broke her arm. But was she thinking about anything else? Kara come on!” Alex babbles almost incoherently in her rushed speech. 

“Alex I have my dampener on, and why would she be thinking about you? I mean it was just her being friendly right? It’s not like it was a date?” Kara may not be the most perspective but even she knows something else is going on than the convenient story about a lonely Alex getting food. 

“I don’t know if it was a date! I mean she was flirting with me and then Ruby showed up and asked if I could come over and Sam said yes and then I was there. And we had dinner and it was so great Kar. I mean it just felt so normal like we had done it a million times even though I haven’t ever really gotten to spend much time with her. Damn it why are you wearing that?” 

“Because I was on an actual date Alex. One that I didn’t want to be… Nevermind. Alex, you two have been flirting on and off for a month. And what do you mean much time? What time are you talking about? I know for a fact you have been texting because your heart sure doesn’t speed up like that when I send you anything. Even the cute animal videos. Which I mean rude. Please calm down. It probably was a date. After Ruby took such a liking to you with the puppies it was kind of a done deal right?” 

“I don’t know. She’s just, she’s really cool Kara. And Ruby, I didn’t even know I liked kids until I got the chance to spend time with her. She’s so smart, keeps me on my toes and tonight was even better. And Sam totally touched my leg, but maybe it was just her being nice. That was probably it wasn’t it. She was just being nice because she feels sorry for me and now I’ll never know because who wants to date the woman who wasn’t watching their kid and then she ends up in the ER?”

“Alex breathe, Ruby is okay. She’s going to be fine. And she’s not a little kid, she doesn’t need to be watched constantly. Sam doesn’t blame you. She’s not even mad.” 

“I thought you said you didn’t read her mind.” 

“I don’t have to read minds to see how she was looking at you Alex. So take a pill, have some chill, and let's go get coffee for them. Yours is going to be decaf, you are way too worked up already. And later you’re going to tell me what has been happening because I feel like I’ve missed a lot.” 

Kara tries to even out the harshness in her voice. It’s not Alex’s fault she has been otherwise occupied but guilt churns in her stomach for being so oblivious to her sister’s life. Alex is obviously upset about what happened tonight and Kara can’t add her own disappointment at herself projecting at Alex. 

“Okay, you’re right. I’ll just tell her I’m sorry.” 

“Woman up and ask her out Alex. Just not tonight though. She’s probably a little distracted by her kid being hurt and all.” A little reminder of the badass that Alex is isn’t unneeded. But Kara feels her guts twist again as Alex’s face falls. Anxiety turning immediately to self loathing. 

“Kara! I’m so selfish. I’m sitting here wondering if she likes me and her kid is literally broken. Oh my god. I need to leave.” 

“Take a deep breath. She doesn’t want you to leave Alex. Just take a step back and go from there.”  
She realizes she’s parroting the same advice that Alex gave her yesterday but it doesn’t make it any less true. 

Kara pulls her big sister into a hug and just lets her hold onto her until she relaxes a little. Her heart is going abnormally fast and Kara is a little worried about it but they are in a hospital anyways so if Alex has a heart attack at least someone will be able to help her quickly. Maybe with a tranquilizer or two. When she pulls back she is at least closer to resting heart rate and less flushed. 

“You good?” 

“Yeah I’m good. Thanks Kar. I’m sorry I called you away from your date. How was it?” 

“It was perfect. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.” 

“Okay.” Alex punches her lightly on the arm before leading them to the nurse’s lounge to get coffee. 

When they get back to the room Lena and Sam are whispering rapidly back and forth, both coloring as they notice Alex and Kara’s return. They all try to laugh away the awkwardness of the pairs obviously talking about each other and wait for the doctor to come back. 

After he declares it a fracture and tells them all that he will have to cast it Sam persuades Kara and Lena to go home. Alex’s stubbornness doesn’t waver and after another round of hugs and Lena kissing Ruby’s forehead the two leave Sam and Alex sitting next to Ruby’s bed. 

Kara takes Lena’s hand in hers as they walk back toward Lena’s apartment. It’s late, or really early, and they are both exhausted. When they reach Lena’s door they both pause to prolong their separation. 

“I know it didn’t end as you planned but this was the best date I’ve ever been on. Thank you Kara.”

“It was perfect. I got to spend the whole night, well almost, with you and even met your best friend and goddaughter again.” 

Lena laughs but Kara is being completely honest. When they got to her apartment and Lena rushed in only to emerge with a ragtag stuffed giraffe and explain that it was Ruby’s favorite stuffed animal and she needed it when she was scared Kara’s heart melted. She was so in love with this woman but she was realizing just how much that love could continue to grow with each thing Lena did. 

“I know it’s late but I don’t want tonight to end,” Lena looks embarrassed by the admittance but Kara doesn’t let her hide. She holds Lena’s face in her free hand and tilts it until Lena is looking at her. She runs her thumb over the impossibly soft skin below Lena’s eye and kisses her forehead. Lena pushes into Kara’s touch. 

“I don’t either. I feel like I’m in a fairy tale, though it’s long past midnight.” 

“You’re not worried I’ll turn into a pumpkin?” Lena teases. 

“You would be a cute pumpkin.” 

Lena scoffs but it’s without any real heat, she rolls her eyes at the blonde but doesn’t move out of her hold. 

“How about we go to sleep and then in the morning we go check on Ruby and Sam?”

“Inviting yourself in on the first date? Kara Danvers you scoundrel.” 

This time Kara flushes and starts to pull back from Lena before she feels the other woman hold her palm steady and lean in place a kiss on it. 

“I don’t want to sleep alone either.” 

“We don’t have to do anything but sleep.” 

“Darling, I’m so exhausted I might not even make it to the bed.” 

Kara sweeps her legs out from under her and waits for Lena to unlock the door. She giggles as she carries Lena over the threshold and down the hall toward her bedroom. Lena laughs as Kara gently tosses her on the bed and plops down next to her. 

True to her statement Lena falls asleep almost immediately after taking off her skintight jeans and bra from under her shirt. Kara hides her blush as she removes her own pants and bra and opens her arms for cuddles. The moment Lena lays her head down on Kara she is halfway to sleep. 

“I love you Lena,” Kara whispers to the tired woman in her arms. 

“Love you too, thank you for staying.” It’s sleep blurred and muffled but Kara can just make out what she’s saying. 

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” 

The next morning comes mere hours after they have closed their eyes but they face the day enough to get coffee and pastries to bring to Sam’s place. They may or may not have planned to go back to bed as soon as they check on Lena’s friend, having already cancelled all work related plans but when Alex answers Sam’s door in an oversized t-shirt and no pants all previous tiredness leaves Kara. 

“ALEX?!?”

“KARA?!?” 

Lena laughs and laughs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For everyone waiting for Alex to find her own happiness hope it was worth the wait. Obviously this won’t be the end of that duo, they are here to stay.  
> Oh the fluff, this fic is really writing itself. I love them all.  
> Nataliawhite92 is where you can find me on tumblr, come by and say hey.


	6. A Pebble In The Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Kara talk, Kara uses her power, and the Luthor name doesn’t deserve Lena.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of domestic violence but not with any of the main characters. It’s not explicitly stated nor shown.

“Alex what are you doing here?” Kara sputters as she continues to stare at her sister. Her sister without pants. Her sister who is wearing a shirt that’s from a college she definitely didn’t go to. Kara knows she could have gone to MIT if she wanted, Alex was definitely smart enough but she had chosen to stay closer to home. 

“What are you doing here??? It’s 8am!” Alex is more red than Kara could ever remember seeing her before and Kara can’t help but hear her heart racing out of her chest. 

“Who’s at the door Alex?” Sam comes up behind the redhead, placing a hand on her waist that Alex all but melts into. 

“Lena, Kara, you didn’t have to come by but since you have coffee I’ll gladly welcome you in.” Sam is smiling at them both as she pulls Alex out of the doorway that they are all still standing in. 

“We just wanted to check on you and Ruby. But I can officially say I’m glad we dragged ourselves out of bed for this.” Lenas smirking, Kara can feel the smirk even without looking at her, considering her eyes are still on her sister. 

“Darling, lets go inside. Close your mouth before something flies right in.” She squeezes Kara’s side in a comforting move that Kara notices Sam apply to Alex as well. What is happening?!?

“Yeah come in. Good. We can… talk.” Alex has yet to move but at Sam’s more forceful tug she relents her spot and allows the other women to enter the house. The door closes and welcomes them into the most awkward of silences. 

Lena moves toward the kitchen, grabbing the coffee and danish from Kara as she places a kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek. 

“We will leave you two to talk,” she says as she follows Sam down the hall. 

Kara’s brain is still on the fritz as she watches her girlfriend leave. She half wants to follow her but knows if she’s going to get anything out of Alex right now when she’s still too shocked to concoct anything but the truth is when it needs to happen. 

“I can explain.” Alex starts as Kara looks back at her immensely uncomfortable sister. 

“Okay.” 

“It’s not what it…” 

“Alex Eliza Danvers I swear to Rao if you say it’s not what it looks like I will throw you into space right now!” 

Alex stops, her mouth falling open like a fish as Kara’s bluster carries her into the path of pacing. 

“Tell me you didn’t bed a worried mother after she brought her hurt daughter home from the hospital!” 

“Kara no. That’s not what happened at all. I didn’t. We didn’t…” Alex can’t finish a sentence and when Kara turns to her she’s hit with just how lost her sister looks. 

“Alex what happened?” She tries to soften her tone but she is still stuck in a place of surprise and lack of understanding.

“We have been seeing each other.” 

“Since last night?”

“No. For longer.”

“How long is longer?” 

“Since you got sick.” 

Kara’s stomach drops. Almost 2 weeks. Almost 2 weeks that Alex has been seeing the object of her massive crush and Kara knew nothing about it. She may have been dying but there’s been a week plus since then and she still didn’t know. 

“Kara, please say something.” 

“I need a second.” 

Alex opens her mouth to respond but slams it shut and nods, walking away from Kara. She looks over her shoulder before turning the corner and Kara sees how much Alex wants to say something. She can see her desperation and her need to talk to Kara. But Kara can’t. Not here. She doesn’t want to respond where she’s at right now. She doesn’t want to hurt Alex with her reaction though she knows she’s hurting her now. 

She’s wrapped up in her own head so much so that Lena’s gentle arms placed around her in a hug causes her to flinch. 

“Kara, are you alright?”

“Did you know?” Kara wants to give in to the automatic comfort that is her girlfriends arms but she resists. She holds Lena, she can’t not, but it’s with a distance sitting in between them as Lena looks up at her. 

“Not definitively. But yes I figured.” 

“How could you not tell me?” Kara breaks the hold Lena has on her and steps back. She knows she’s wrong, this is all wrong. She doesn’t know how to label what she’s feeling. Coddled, sheltered, left out. It’s too much for the hallway, for the house. She needs to go. 

“Kara please talk to me.” Kara sees the hurt on Lena’s face, sees the hurt that was on Alex’s face still. 

“I need a break. I need to go.” 

“Will you come back?” Her Lena, her strong Lena letting her insecurities show just a little in front of Kara’s eyes is almost enough to make her shove everything down and pretend to be okay. But she can’t. She doesn’t want this to be how they are. 

She reaches out a hand toward Lena, asking for hers but also her trust, her understanding. 

Lena laces their fingers together and looks at Kara. So much swirling in her eyes that it’s threatening her resolve. But she needs to do this. She can’t just leave Lena without any kind of explanation or reason though. 

She pulls Lena’s hand toward her mouth and gently kisses her knuckles. Kara smiles at her, Lena’s returning smile hesitant but genuine. 

“I will always come back Lena. I promise.” 

“Kara allowed to have whatever feelings are happening, someone I love told me that once.” This time her smile is fuller and Kara loves her. She loves her so much but she needs to go. 

“I would say get some rest but we both know you’re going to L-Corp. I’ll call you later?” It’s not said as a barb, nothing malicious in her words because she loves how much Lena cares about the work she is doing. So much of it to help people without them even realizing. 

“Whenever you want to. Take whatever time you need just please let me know you’re safe.” 

“I promise. I love you Lena.” 

“I love you too Darling.” Kara kisses her softly on the forehead, then the nose, then finally the touch of their lips before she pulls away and heads for the door. 

“Up, up, and away Supergirl.” Kara hears her voice cradle the last word as she stands strong. She knows Lena is worried about what she’s feeling right now but she is letting her figure it out with the space she needs right now. 

Kara flies around for a while, not forcing her emotions to have reasons or explain why she’s feeling what she is. There’s a robbery and a fire that help distract her but does nothing to her racing thoughts. She is annoyed at Alex for not telling her. Annoyed at Lena for not telling her. She isn’t annoyed at Sam because she doesn’t know her well enough to be. She pulls up suddenly from flying loops around National City when it hits her. She’s not really annoyed at anyone but herself. The realization smacks her in the face as strong as any alien ever has she knows she has been acting like a jerk. 

She lands on L-Corp balcony, completely unsurprised the lights are still on in the CEO’s office though the day is nearing its end. 

Lena is on the phone and motions for a moment when Kara enters through the glass doors. She sits down on the couch and tries not to let the guilt swallow her whole. Lena ends her call and smiles at her before taking in her downcast face. 

“Kara?” She hesitates and Kara is hit again with who she had been this morning. This person that causes Lena to pause and approach her like an animal she doesn’t want to spook. 

“Am I selfish?” The words are acid on her tongue and she swallows them down, burning all the way into her stomach where they congeal. 

“Darling no.” Lena sits down and waits for Kara to look at her. She doesn’t try to touch her yet but she opens herself up to Kara. 

“Alex didn’t tell me what was going on with Sam.” 

“We’ve had a lot going on. I can’t speak for her but I’m sure it wasn’t anything but wanting to give you space to recover.” 

“But she’s my sister. We have been so close since the year after I landed. She doesn’t need to protect me anymore Lena! I’m invincible!” 

“We both know there are different kinds of strength Kara. Alex will always protect you, that’s what she does.” 

“But I want to be there for her too!” Kara’s fists are clenched at her sides until Lena holds them in her own hands. This is what Kara hadn’t been allowing herself yet, the comfort of Lena’s touch. The safety in the skin to skin contact. 

“You are there for her.” 

“Not this time. I handled this so wrong Lena. I shouldn’t have left. I shouldn’t have gotten angry.” 

“It’s okay to have feelings Kara. We can’t help our reactions to what’s presented to us. You need to talk to Alex though.” Lena brushes Kara’s hair back from her forehead and kisses it. Kara melts into the touch a little more and lets herself be enveloped in the moment. She knows she needs to talk to her sister. To apologize. But for this little bit of time she just holds Lena’s arms around her and lets herself feel comforted. 

Kara knocks on Alex’s apartment door the next morning, early enough that she knows her sister won’t have left for work yet. 

When Alex pulls the door open her eyes widen in surprise before moving away from the fidgeting superhero in front of her. 

“Since when do you knock?” She asks as Kara moves into her apartment. Alex is already dressed for the day, black on black as is her usual uniform, but has yet to put on her motorcycle jacket. 

“I don’t know. I thought maybe you wouldn’t want me to just walk in.” Kara’s embarrassed by the air of awkwardness between them. One of her own making. She never really believed Alex would bar her entrance but she wanted to give her the chance just in case. 

“Don’t be stupid Kara. Even if I didn’t want you here it’s not like you couldn’t just fly in the window.” Alex sips her coffee as she sits down on the couch motioning for Kara to join her. 

“I wouldn’t do that.” 

Alex raises her eyebrow at her and smirks. It’s enough to break the moment and Kara smiles tentatively back. 

“I’m really sorry Alex. The way I acted yesterday was mean and I’m sorry.” She’s running her fingers over the texture of the cushions, the leather a soothing cool beneath her hands, the stitching enough to tactiley keep her from any other overt movements. 

“It wasn’t like I wasn’t going to tell you Kar. I just hadn’t gotten a moment to.” 

“I know I’ve been tied up with Lena, and being sick, and not paying enough attention. I’m sorry you couldn’t come to me. I never meant to do that.” She rushes through, hearing herself beg for Alex to forgive her, to understand, to make her feel even a little better. 

“Kara look at me.” 

Kara drags her eyes away from the spartan coffee table that sits in front of the couch. Her own so much messier even when she has the ability to clear it in seconds. She looks at her sister, her safety net who has always been there for her. She waits for anger to flash in Alex’s eyes but shouldn’t be surprised when she gets the gentle understanding that Alex always radiates. She may have a hair trigger but there has never been a time when Alex wasn’t exactly what Kara needed. 

“It’s okay for you to have your own happiness Kara. Me not telling you wasn’t about what else you had going on. I am SO glad you finally pulled your head out of your ass and asked Lena out. Everyone who spent any time with the two of you knew how you felt about each other. I didn’t tell you about Sam and me because I wasn’t ready. I didn’t know what was happening between us yet and I didn’t want to look too much into it until I was sure.” 

“Are you sure now?” 

Alex blushes at the question and Kara is once again glad she’s wearing the dampener as their hands join in the middle of the couch. So many things she can only imagine going through her sister’s mind as her blush continues down from her cheeks. 

“Gross Alex. Not in that way!” 

Alex laughs and Kara joins her. It’s like a million other times they sat together and talked about anything and everything. Alex has always been her best friend and Kara relaxes into times past. 

“Shut up. Yes I’m sure. We kind of had to talk about things when you so rudely showed up yesterday morning.” 

She knows Alex is just teasing her but she feels chastised anyways. 

“So are you guys like together?” 

“I swear for someone as smart as you you really are an idiot when it comes to relationships. Yes Kara we are together. I’m dating her.” 

“Tell me about her.” 

Alex smiles and begins to tell her about how they ended up dating. 

“Alex this means we can finally go on a double date!” 

“We’ve been on one of those before Kara. And it was awful.” 

Kara cringes alongside Alex as she too remembers the high school hangout where her, Alex, and the boys they were seeing went one evening. It had been morosely silent, the only time anyone talked was asking for condiments or napkins. Kara and Danny had sat so far away from each other she almost fell off the side of the booth. Alex not doing much better on her side of the table. Awful was honestly putting it nicely. 

“But it’s different this time!” Kara insists while debating pulling out the pout. 

“And how’s that?” 

“Because we are dating women! Who we actually like and want to touch!” The second it leaves her mouth she regrets it, realizing just how inappropriate the words sound when phrased like that. 

Alex about busts a gut laughing at her, Kara having started pouting after minute four of continued laughter. She really needs to think before speaking sometimes. But it wasn’t a no from Alex and that means it’s totally happening. 

Kara leaves an hour later, both of them late for work at this point but back to normal. She hugs Alex as she leaves, telling her she would stop by the DEO after she checks in at CatCo. 

Kara feels buoyant as she flies toward downtown, happy to have been absolved of her bad behavior from yesterday and already planning the double date that is sure to have her regretting it afterwards. 

By the time Kara brings it up to Lena when she brings her lunch it’s a done deal. The moment Lena’s eyes light up at the idea there is no way Kara can say no. She can already imagine the amount of teasing that will be coming her way (Lena and Alex becoming friends was a terrible/amazing idea) and anyone dating her disaster of a sister was bound to be a special kind of crazy herself. She wonders if she could sneak Ruby along as a buffer. 

They make a plan to go to the new opening of a restaurant (Michelin stars and all) for Friday which leaves Kara two days to mentally prepare. She’s more of a food cart girl herself but for Lena she will eat many plates of ridiculously small portions at whatever high class restaurant she wants. Even if it means her sister is coming along. Alex is the holder of almost all her secrets, a position that comes with great power and from past experience, little responsibility. She could very easily ruin any sort of assured, suave, image she has created for herself with many embarrassing stories from their youth. Maybe she should see if J’onn has time for another meditation practice before Friday. 

Kara’s days take on the routine of anything but monotony. She spends far too much time with Lena, avoids Snapper after he shoots down another one of her ideas, does her Supergirl heroics, and spends more time with Lena. 

On the afternoon of the dreaded night the DEO intercepts a call for a hostage situation on the south side of town. Kara races over, SWAT and DEO agents with their forged FBI credentials at the ready hot on her heels. 

She reaches the apartment complex and touches down next to the barrier the NCPD has set up to keep civilians away. 

“What’s the situation?” 

The officer who fills her in is a little starstruck, he can’t be older than 20. He tells her what started as a domestic disturbance escalated when they discovered the woman’s 5 year old son was stuck in the apartment. SWAT arrives on scene and the hostage negotiator starts to try to establish a line of communication with the man inside. 

It’s an agonizing hour before Kara gets the go ahead to breech, softly, by Alex. She flies up to the third floor and listens to what is going on inside the apartment. The man is yelling at the two stuck inside and Kara has to remind herself that bursting in would not help the out of control already situation. The decision is made for her though when she hears the shrieking of the child and the approaching man. She breaks the window and subdues him with little effort, more effort spent on making sure he is only incapacitated rather than hurt badly. She lets the police escort the other two occupants out as she flies the man toward the station house closest. 

It’s less than an hour later when Kara is called back to the station during the interviews. The eyes of the boy in the interview room are vacant and Kara’s heart catches. Children shouldn’t have to endure the horrors of humanity. They should be outside playing with their friends, welcomed home after school with snacks and a hug, tucked into bed at night with a story and a kiss. Sometimes it’s hard for Kara to devote herself to helping when there is so much cruelty around every corner. But that’s not all that exists. It’s the people who genuinely fight and love and hope that keep her wanting to be who she is. It’s the kindness of humans that she wraps around herself in times like now that keep her putting on her suit and doing whatever she can. It’s just hard looking at the small boy, shoe laces untied and not making eye contact with the detective, for Kara to remember the good that exists. 

“He’s not talking. He hasn’t even asked to see his mother,” the detective relays upon exiting the room. 

“Maybe you’ll have better luck,” Alex suggests. Kara recalls her family crest on the boys wall above his bed. The torn and ragged blanket of blue and red that laid messily on his bed and she starts toward the door. 

“You could turn off your dampener Kar. It might help to figure out what’s going on.” 

She hesitates but nods at her sister, flicking the switch attached to the latches of her cape that will turn off the device and slowly enters the room. 

The boys eyes widen as she smiles at him. 

“Hi,” Kara keeps her voice quiet as to not frighten him more than he already is. 

“Do you mind if I sit with you?” 

It’s the tiniest of movements but he nods his head yes, his bright blue eyes tracing her every step closer. Kara brings all the calm she can into her body and tries to project it toward him. 

“Are you really Supergirl?” It’s a whisper but Kara’s smile at his voice covers her whole face. 

“I am.” 

“Can you really fly?” He wiggles a little in his chair, legs swinging back and forth. Even in the smallest chairs they have at the station he would have had to hop up onto it, his shoes don’t even scuff the ground. 

Kara stands and winks at him as she hovers in place a few inches above the ground. 

He finally returns her smile and the sound of his chuckle, cut off far too quickly and almost seeming to surprise him, is music to her ears. 

She sits back down and keeps smiling. 

“Do you mind if I ask you some questions about today?” 

“I don’t wanna talk bout it.” He withdraws away from her but she keeps trying to let the calm flow through her body. 

“That’s okay. I don’t like to talk about things that scare me either. Was it scary today?” 

“Yes.” 

“Can I tell you a secret?” 

He meets her eyes and nods vigorously. 

“When I was fighting last week I got hit with a really scary blaster. When I woke up I didn’t know what had happened and that was scary too. But guess what.” 

“What,” he’s leaning toward her now, little hands unclenched from his sides and sitting atop the table. 

“I found out I can hear what people were thinking! It took a little bit of work but now I can do it when I want to.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah. I know you don’t want to talk about what happened but maybe you could show me. You don’t have to but it might be easier.” 

His little face scrunches up as he thinks about it before sitting up a little straighter and nodding. 

“I have to hold your hand. I promise I won’t do anything to hurt you.” 

He reaches his hand, so tiny, so precious, across the table to touch hers. When she holds it gently she is hit with scenes flashing fast in her mind. His emotions pour into her and she tries to sift through everything. Fear, pain, hiding, loud noises, yelling. She gives his hand a small squeeze and looks at him. 

“You were so brave. You did so well hiding when he was being mean.” 

“Is he going to hurt my mommy?” It’s barely audible but as she squeezes his hand once more she shakes her head. 

“He’s not going to hurt your mom or you anymore.” 

She sits with him for a little longer, talking about flying and soccer. Ice cream and their mutual dislike for leafy greens. He tells her about how his mom takes him to the park and how he wants to move to space when he’s big. She tells him about stars and rocket ships. About Alex and people who protect others. When she gets ready to leave he hugs her and she crouches down to hold him tight. He keeps his hand in hers as they walk out of the room to his mom who he flies towards until he is in her embrace. 

“You and your son are very brave. We are going to do everything we can to help you guys get through this.” Kara says gently to the woman who looks to have seen too many hard times. But the way she looks at her son, the love so apparent in her eyes, warms Kara’s heart. 

She turns toward her sister who has started telling them about the shelter that they have arranged for them to stay at. The mother nods and holds her son's hand as they are led away. 

He looks back at Kara and waves, smiling and babbling to his mom about how he saw her fly! 

“A shelter?” 

“It’s the best we can do right now Kar.” 

“There should be more Alex. They need help.” 

Alex pulls her into a hug and lets her take a couple deep breaths. 

“I know. I wish we could do more but there’s so little funding for people in these kind of situations as it is. We can keep an eye on them though.” 

“I’m going to visit him. I want to visit them both.” 

“You should. This is going to be hard for them but she’s strong.” 

“People shouldn’t have to be this strong.” 

“I know. But they are. They survive.” 

They part ways, Alex asking if she still wants to have dinner that evening to which Kara agrees. Kara heads toward Lena’s office. It’s about an hour before they need to leave to get ready for dinner but she needs to see her now. 

Lena meets her at the door and upon seeing her Kara breaks. She lets Lena guide her to her couch, it’s their couch at this point, their bubble of safety when they need to be close and talk. She all but sits in Lena’s lap and lets her hold her up. 

After she cries herself out Lena brings her a glass of water and some tissues. She wipes the tear tracks from Kara’s cheeks and kisses her forehead. Lena listens as Kara tells her about the little boy, and his mom, and the situation. Her own desperation mirrored in Lena’s mind as Kara realizes her dampener is still off. 

There must be more we can do. 

“We need to do something.” 

“We will love. There are ways we can help, we will look into it. We will help them.” 

Kara pulls Lena toward her, asking for her consent that Lena gives without pause as Kara crashes their lips together. She feels Lena smile into their kiss and slow Kara’s frantic need. She becomes softer, relishing the feel of Lena’s lips on hers, the taste of her lipstick, the breath she pulls into her own lungs to breathe. She runs her fingers through Lena’s hair, mussing the perfection that Lena had probably spent a decent amount of time creating that morning just to feel the softness. She draws Lena onto her lap, switching their previous positions until the goddess is rising above her. She loves the weight of Lena sitting on top of her. She loves running her hands against the softness of Lena’s blouse, pulling it out of her pants so she can reach her skin. Lena groans into her mouth as she starts tracing patterns along her spine, putting more pressure so Lena comes closer to her. She doesn’t know who is groaning anymore when Lena bites her lip and soothes the indents with her tongue. 

When she pulls back she looks up at her girlfriend, the light reflecting behind her like a halo. She’s smiling, makeup ruined and eyes dialated. She watches Lena’s chest, breathing labored like she’s run a marathon. 

“I love you.” She will never get used to being able to say those words. They seem impossibly simple but they are all she has to offer. 

Lena runs her fingers down her face, across her cheek, down the slope of her nose, across her lips. Barely there touches electrified by the remnants of passion Kara is still feeling speed through her veins. Lena’s thoughts are racing, a happy chaos that Kara feels running circles in her own mind. 

“And I love you Darling. But if we don’t leave now we are going to be late to meet your sister and Sam.” 

“Or we could not go,” Kara petulantly replies. 

“Is that really what you want?” That darn smirk, those darn lips. Kara is sorely tempted to pull her back down to her own just so she can erase the assumed win on Lena’s face. 

“I want you.” 

“You have me. Always. But you know we will never hear the end of it if we cancel.” 

“Can we leave early?” 

“That we can do. Dine and dash as it were.” 

“And go back to your place?” She adds a pout hoping its expressing just how much she wants it to be the later part of the evening. 

“Of course. We can change into something much more comfortable and watch a movie. Maybe cuddle a little.” 

“A Disney movie??” 

“Whatever you would like.” 

“You’re the best girlfriend ever.” Kara places one last kiss on Lena’s lips before she watches her girlfriend start to get her things together, stuffing her laptop and about a million folders in her bag. 

“I learned from you.” 

When they make it to the restaurant, Kara having changed out of her suit back into her civilian clothes, they come upon Alex and Sam leaning up against Alex’s motorcycle completely wrapped up in each other. 

Lena gives Kara an eye roll as she moves to scare the women, too good an opportunity to pass up really and claps her hands loudly near Alex’s ear. Alex’s automatic protective stance in front of Sam as she simultaneously pulls her weapon is adorable, not that Kara will ever admit it. 

“And you call us useless lesbians.” 

Alex’s cheeks are flaming but Sam looks nonplussed as she moves from behind the redhead. 

“We had to do something to pass the time. You two just won me $20 though so thanks for that.” 

“Alex bet we would be later didn’t she?” Lena tosses toward her friend as she returns her greeting hug. 

“That she did.” Sam replies. 

“Okay well some of us are super hungry and ready to start this disaster of a date.” Kara turns to Lena for help but when she takes Lena’s hand into hers she’s hit with her intentions for after the date and quickly flicks the dampener on, her own blush surpassing Alex’s previous one. 

She tries to glare at Lena’s cocked eyebrow but accepts the inevitable when all three other woman laugh at her. She pulls gently on Lena’s hand and they all follow her into the restaurant. 

By the time the appetizers come they are all roaring with laughter at their ability to all be oblivious when it comes to feelings. 

“No Sam you should have seen these two. I swear it was painful sometimes! The glances, the blushing, the inability to say goodbye without proclaiming their love for one another! The entire DEO has bets placed on who would finally be the one to confess to the other. I about did it for them a few times but I don’t lose bets.” Alex wipes the tears from her eyes as Lena and Kara laugh at the drawn out courting ritual they were stuck in for a year or more. 

“I thought they had lunch like everyday! It was impossible to actually get Lena to commit to leaving her office and at first I thought she was just being her usual workaholic self but then Kara showed up one afternoon and I understood. Really you two, how could you have not known?” 

“I thoughts that’s what friends were like!” Kara tries to explain away the pining but her pleas fall upon deaf ears as even her girlfriend rolls her eyes at the two of them. 

“Darling, I was mentally undressing you every time you dropped in. I was so sure you weren’t interested I just accepted that we were destined to be just friends.” 

“I didn’t think you were interested! I mean you’re so wonderful Lena. You’re smart, and beautiful, and so good. I couldn’t even fathom you wanting to date me.” 

“This is what I mean! You see what I had to go through?” Alex directs to Sam as she takes a good pull of her wine. 

“Don’t even get me started on you Alex Danvers! ‘Kara does she like me? Did she say anything?’ If Lena and me were high school you were stuck back in middle school. I’m surprised you didn’t fold up a note with check yes or no on it!” 

They all share more laughter and delicious food. Topics range from growing up in pairs, Sam more a sister to Lena than Lex was past high school, to their jobs which they all obviously love and are proud of. 

When the chef comes out to check on them and accidentally lets it slip that Lena not only funded the opening of this restaurant but also his culinary school Kara doesn’t even try to stop the hearts in her eyes as she looks at her girlfriend. She hears Alex mumble useless under her breath but doesn’t look away from Lena as she tosses a roll at her sister. Alex’s “oof” enough to let her know she hit her target. 

They part ways with the promise to do this again, and include the two newcomers in all future bar and game nights. Kara expected much worse honestly, had almost flown to Midvale to get some blackmail material incase Alex’s lips got too loose. Luckily she didn’t have to but it was always an option. 

When they get to Lena’s apartment she raises her eyebrow, asking if Kara wants to come up and Kara kisses her acquiescence. It’s not nearly as passionate as earlier, the combination of rich food and the long day catching up with them both. 

“Did you want a nightcap while we watch a movie Darling, I know it doesn’t do anything for you but this wine really is delectable.” 

Kara scrunches her nose at the memory of the dark red wine, wondering if she should tell Lena they all taste the same to her, but considering this one still has dust on the bottle and Kara figures it’s very old she decides not to. 

“I just want to be in pajamas cuddling you.” 

Lena kisses her once more, “That can be arranged,” she says as she starts down the hall toward her bedroom. She comes back with the softest silk pajama pants and a large T-shirt for Kara, having changed into her own pair of shots and a tank top. Kara’s blood starts racing through her veins at the sight of so much ivory skin on show, and Lena’s muscled arms. She’s the perfect combination of soft and strength and Kara wants to touch every single part of her but she knows her head is too many other places for her to start something. 

She does have enough energy to take Lena’s knees out from under her and twirl them both around, giggling along with the black haired woman laughing wholeheartedly in her arms before plopping them down on the couch. She continues to hold Lena close as she situates herself and pulls a blanket from the back of the couch around them both. They put on Treasure Planet, in the continued effort to educate Lena on all the movies she never got to see growing up. This has always been one of Kara’s favorites, even if it is lacking much of the singing that tended to determine how much she likes movies. The adventure, the explorer’s soul, the pretty captain, the humanization of the villain. She loved it. Tonight though she can’t focus properly on the movie, her mind buzzing with thoughts of the small dark haired, blue eyed boy and his mother. 

When the credits began rolling Lena turns toward her, her eyes telling that she too hadn’t paid too much attention to the movie. 

“Do you do that often?” 

“You’ll have to be a little more specific. Are you asking me if I commandeer a ship and go searching for gold, because as much fun as that sounds I have yet to find a captain as enticing as the one we just watched.” 

Kara nudges her with her shoulder, laughing at the absurdity that is her girlfriend. 

“Sponsor people for not only schooling but also their startup business.” 

Lena was quiet for a moment after uttering “not nearly enough.” Kara let her get lost in her thoughts, playing with Lena’s fingers until she looked back at her. 

“I met Remy when he was a scrap of a child who told me his dream was to become the best chef in the world. He had a bakestand near campus that I found myself returning to night after night not just because I loved his passion but because he was amazingly skilled for a 10 year old. I told him that if he really wanted to do this I would help him, but he had to graduate high school. I couldn’t help but worry when he let slip that he spent more days at home trying new recipes than in class. When he showed me his diploma and acceptance letter to the New England Culinary School I provided the funding. He graduated top of his class and put more hours into making this a reality than he would ever take credit for. I did little more than write him a check.” 

“You changed his life Lena.” 

Lena brushes off her compliments but Kara won’t let her negate what she had done. She waits until Lena catches her eye and kisses her. Her Lena, so good yet so willing to act like it was nothing. 

She pulls back enough to lay her head on Lena’s shoulder as the younger woman plays with her hair. 

“It was actually Remy who gave me the idea of what I want to do for the women’s shelter.” 

Kara waits, letting her know she’s listening by a soft sound from her throat for Lena to continue. 

“I have more money than any one person could ever spend in a lifetime Kara. I want to create houses, apartments, and group homes for these families who have nowhere else to go. I want to let them have a say in how they are designed and decorated, allocating a loose budget to supply them with appliances and furniture fitting their idea of home. Shelters and the people there do so much but the have nowhere near the resources that they need. I want to give these people back some of the control that life and circumstances have taken from them…” 

She is cut off by Kara’s urgent kisses. To her mouth, her nose, any place on her face that she can reach. Hearing mutterings of “free tuition and life classes” and “childcare with enrichment programs that strive to help the kids find their own dreams,” and “get back on their feet.” Lena is laughing at Kara’s continued enthusiasm as she finally returns her affection. 

“You,” soft kiss to her lips, “Lena Luthor are extraordinary.” 

Lena rolls her eyes but keeps their foreheads together. 

“I want you to work with me. A joint L-Corp and Supergirl endeavour.” 

“Nothing could make me happier.” 

“We will have to create a shell company to be the face of this. I don’t want people to be deterred by the Luthor name on the checks.” 

Kara’s heart reaches out to this woman who gives so much but asks for nothing in return. 

“Some day the world is going to see how good you are Lena.” 

“I don’t need the world Darling, I just need you.” 

“You have me.” 

“We should call Harold so he can start drawing up the paperwork, and I want to get professionals in to work with all these people in any way they need. We need to make it known that this isn’t just for women and children but also men who have experienced abusive relationships or struggles. I know they don’t tend to report as often but maybe that will change. And legal aide and guidance for those involved in the criminal justice system. I also need to call Pam and have her steer the press, no offense, away from finding out.” She’s already reaching for her phone, mind going faster than Kara can even try to keep track of at this point, but Kara grabs her hand and brings it back in between them. 

“It’s late love, we can call them in the morning.” 

“No rest for the wicked Ms. Danvers,” Lena says around a cheeky grin. 

“You are many things Ms. Luthor but wicked is not one of them.” Kara kisses her once more before standing up and pulling Lena toward the bedroom. As they finish up in the bathroom and lie down Lena snuggles into Kara’s arms, creating a cocoon of warmth between the two of them. 

“Who would have thought, a Super and a Luthor working together.” 

“El Mayarah my love,” Kara whispers back before turning off the light. 

“I love you Kara.” 

“And I you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has come on this journey with me. It’s a roller coaster I know but your comments and kudos mean the world to me.  
> Big thank you as always to spicycheese for helping me keep the story from drowning. You really are the best.


	7. Stars Are Falling All For Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara move forward on the project, communication happens, Ruby and Sam are snark monsters, and other shenanigans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter totally got away from me so here’s a teeny bit of angst followed by a ton of fluff and crack.   
> Enjoy :)

6 Months Later

Lena stood on the podium looking out at everybody trickling into the sectioned off lawn. The first of the finished apartment complexes were in downtown National City but it’s their hope to build a lot of the houses in various neighborhoods. Kara takes a moment, hovering above her girlfriend in her supersuit, to appreciate the turnout for the dream that got started late one night. 

Lena had worked like a mad woman to make this happen. She had personally offered to fund the entire project when the L-Corp board of directors had been hesitant to get behind the idea. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford to do it by herself but Lena was always thinking about more. She wanted these to be the examples that could be used by other companies, both national and international, when looking to work with their own communities. She wanted to show the world that this could be done, easily and with little hassle, if people really felt passionate about it. She also wanted to prove statistically to the shareholders of such companies that this would benefit their bottom line and garner publicity. Though she never needed to convince Kara that this had been the addendum and not the main object. 

Kara had worked with Lena, in any capacity she could to make this happen. It had been reaffirmed again when they started visiting the shelters of National City dedicated to helping families who had been knocked down that they could get back on their feet just how necessary the work they were doing was. She had accompanied Lena as both Supergirl the hero, and Kara Danvers the reporter, after getting the go ahead from CatCo to do a column following the efforts and production of creating the homes. 

More than just going with Lena to the shelters, Kara loved the chance to hear people’s stories. She was grateful to witness their strength after life and circumstance knocked them down so many times that still allowed them to stand back up. She talked to kids who had far too many years in their eyes. Mothers who had done the impossible to free themselves and their kids from dangerous situations. Fathers who had been terrified of the reality of trying to raise their kids when their life had crumpled around them. Kara doled out hugs and comforting words. She helped Lena haul all the supplies so they could finish the housing projects and get these people out of the shelters. She worked in food banks and kitchens. She accompanied Lena when she met with individuals and let their reticence be swayed by showing them her plan for the future and asking for their input. 

Kara was amazed every moment she spent with Lena by how much passion she poured into this project and still managed to accomplish her never ending responsibilities to L-Corp as well as the other places she put her time and money into. 

One of Kara’s most important jobs had turned out to be helping Lena in the in-between as well. Lena tried so hard to force more productivity into her days. She was a woman on a mission and nobody dared stand in her way. Except her worried girlfriend who had to remind her things like humans needed sleep, and if she didn’t put food in her stomach she would give herself an ulcer when she didn’t have time for surgery right now. 

Lena fought back against Kara trying to handle her. She was stubborn at the end of the day and was not used to people trying to make her take care of herself. She accused Kara of not supporting her, of trying to block what she was doing, of thinking her ideas not important, of not understanding. Kara weathered each storm with calm tranquility and many tiny adjustments. 

It was the after a long 60 hours of consciousness that Lena ended up in the hospital. A combination of exhaustion and dehydration causing her body to shut down while she was being driven back to L-Corp one evening. Kara had taken to following Lena around each day after she had finished with her CatCo and Supergirl duties and when she had seen Lena pass out she dropped out of the sky, down onto the street next to where the driver had pulled over. 

“I’ve got her,” she assured the worried looking man before taking off toward the DEO. 

When Lena woke up the next morning she automatically moved to tear out the IVs in her arms and nodes on her chest. Her heart rate skyrocketed and even without superhearing Kara would have known because she was hooked up to many machines, one being a heart monitor. 

“Lena, please, you’re okay. You’re at the DEO. You collapsed last night in your car and I brought you here.” Kara moves toward her girlfriend, not grabbing her hand but hovering close. 

Lena’s eyes focus on her and her face softens, giving way to the one Kara has missed so much these past few days. She tries to reach toward Kara but is met with the painful pull of the IV that has her flinching back and glaring at the needle in her arm. Kara takes one more step toward her and holds her hand softly. 

She has her dampener on, its default state lately even though she has been trying to incorporate her new power in both her Supergirl work and her journalism. She was still figuring out the boundaries she was not willing to cross but it was getting easier. She wanted to be able to embrace this power as a gift instead of looking at it as a curse. But that was for another time. 

“Lena, how are you feeling?” 

“I’m so sorry Kara. I’m so sorry for how I’ve been. Please. Please don’t leave me.” Lena grips her hand so tight Kara worries about her hurting herself. 

She bends down until their foreheads are touching and cups Lena’s face in her other hand. The scent of Lena is masked beneath the antiseptic medical smell but it’s still there. Her perfume, the lotion she applies so methodically every morning, and underneath the unique smell that is just Lena. Kara breaths her in as she holds her close. 

“Shhhh, Lena. Take a breath with me okay? Here,” she moves her hand that had been holding Lena’s until Lena’s hand is resting on her family crest. “Can you feel my breaths? Yes? Good. Now try to match them. Good job Lena, you’re doing so good. Just keep breathing with me.”

Lena is gripping her outfit tight beneath her fingers. Kara continues to mutter assurances to her as she works to slow both their breathing down. She keeps their heads touching and runs her fingers through Lena’s hair. The silky smoothness mussed in the back from sleeping so long but Kara gently works to untangle it. 

After a few minutes Lena comes out of her panic attack. They didn’t happen often to her anymore but Kara had witnessed a couple over the course of their friendship. She had asked Lena about them and only gotten the blasé answer about Lena being able to deal with it. Kara hopes that she wouldn’t get the same answer now. 

“Lena? What do you need?” She softens her voice and waits until Lena meets her eyes. They are shining with unshed tears and still bloodshot though she had been sleeping the last 12 hours. Her body sags with exhaustion that Kara knows is from more than just the panic attack. The dark circles under Lena’s eyes made her look like she had gotten two bad shiners and her skin was much paler than normal. 

“Can you just hold me? Please,” Lena whispers as she shuffles her body over on the bed so Kara can lay down next to her. 

She pulls Lena into her arms until the shorter woman is resting, head in the crook of Kara’s neck, and her body starts to slacken. Kara waits for her breathing to taper off and her heart to move into a resting state but while Lena does relax she doesn’t fall back to sleep. 

“You don’t want to sleep anymore?” 

“I can’t. I’ve got so much to do Kara.” 

“You have got to take care of yourself Lena. Your body literally gave out because you have been pushing it too hard.” She tries to be gentle but a little of her frustration makes its way into her tone. 

“I don’t need you to tell me ‘I told you so’ so if that’s what you are trying to do you can leave now.” Her tight grip still on Kara at odds with the words coming out of her mouth. Kara breaths a series of quick breaths out her nose as she tries to calm herself down. She doesn’t want to scare Lena but she is annoyed all the same. 

“Lena we need to talk. And not talk as in I tell you I’m worried about you and you deflect then fire back. That’s not how we work Lena. That’s not who we are to each other. I know you don’t mean the things you are saying but they still hurt to hear.” Her words aren’t coming together like she wants them to, they are stilted and awkward. She’s walking on eggshells and they are cracking. 

“Have you been using your powers on me?” Lena asks as her previously relaxed body tenses back up. 

Kara pulls her head away long enough to look Lena in the eye. She feels her face radiating the shock that rips through her chest at hearing Lena’s accusation. 

“Lena I would never do that! You know I wouldn’t do that. But I would like to think I know you even without the powers. I know when you are trying to keep someone at a distance Lena. I’ve watched it happen.” 

Lena settles and lays there, looking at Kara for a long time before something comes across her eyes. It’s the veil coming down that Kara doesn’t remember getting hung up in the first place. Kara again recognizes the part of her girlfriend that has been missing and is glad to see Lena peel back her defenses again.

“I need to do this Kara. I need to make this happen.” She’s quiet but it doesn’t hide the pure desperation in her voice. 

“Lena you are doing this. This isn’t about you not being able to, it’s about you not being so self sacrificing.” 

“How can you lay here and say that to me?” Lena’s eyes flash and Kara knows she said the wrong thing, but she stands her ground. 

“What do you mean?” 

“You literally throw yourself in front of danger every single day!” Her voice is raising and they both sit up slightly as the fatigue leaves their bodies, replaced with adrenaline. 

“That’s different!” 

“How Kara? How is it different?” 

“Because I can’t be hurt!” 

“But I can!” Lena yells before lowering her voice and continuing with the same intensity if not the volume. 

“I am hurt every time I see you get thrown into the ground and rise slower than before! I am hurt every time you don’t get up at all and are loaded into the DEO van and no one thinks to call me! You getting hurt hurts me too Kara!” Her face is red, color having flooded to her cheeks as each point is made. She’s shaking and when Kara moves to reach toward her Lena flinches. 

Kara schools the hurt from her face and stands up but doesn’t leave the side of Lena’s bed. 

“You want me to stop being a hero?” 

Pause

“Would you?” 

The silence is nothing like the comfortable one that they have found many times. It is alive and ugly, fire licking against both their flesh. 

“Don’t ask me that.” 

Lena doesn’t say anything and breaks eye contact. She looks toward the wall opposite the door Kara is standing in front of, jaw clenched and body rigid in her bed. 

“I need a break. I’m going for a walk.” Kara says, her blood boiling. Her powers well in control but her emotions spiraling. 

Lena still doesn’t respond, doesn’t even take a breath as Kara pauses at the door. She looks over her shoulder at Lena, still radiating with anger that Kara knows is not as black and white as this argument would have her believe but she needs a moment. She closes the door softly behind her and tries not to hear the breath whoosh out of her girlfriend a little wetly. 

Kara walks out of the medical bay feeling everything inside her pulling her back towards the room. Towards Lena. But she knows that they need a minute. She needs a little space or they are just going to keep on the merry go round of rotating knives, hurting each other with words said in anger. 

And she is angry. She’s angry that Lena would ask her to stop being Supergirl. How could she do that?? Is that what she really wants? She’s angry that Lena’s been taking her frustrations out on her. She’s angry Lena isn’t talking to her. She’s angry she feels like they just got hurled back in time to when Lena didn’t trust her enough to tell her what is really wrong. 

She blows past most of the agents giving her a wide berth. She knows whatever is on her face is enough to deter anyone from trying to talk to her. 

She doesn’t really have a destination in mind. Not wanting to actually fly anywhere, she sticks to walking with purpose but no end in mind until she feels someone grab her elbow. 

She whirls around to be met with Alex, eyes widening in surprise at Kara’s obvious hostility. Of course it’s Alex. 

“Hold up turbo, where’s the fire?” 

“Let go Alex. I don’t want to talk about this.” 

“Tough. We both know you actually do so why don’t you tell me what’s going on with you and Lena.” 

“How do you know it’s something about Lena?” 

“Because I haven’t pissed you off lately and I can see beneath your anger Kar. You’re hurting. Talk to me.” Alex’s voice softens on the last sentence and Kara stops trying to get away. Her shoulders sag in defeat as she lets Alex lead her toward her office. 

Alex sits down though Kara remains standing as she tries to unjumble her thoughts. Alex waits, watching while Kara paces back and forth, hands fluttering and half formed sentences starting just for her mouth to snap shut when they don’t come out right. 

“Kara, talk to me,” Alex pleads. 

“I’m trying! I’m mad Alex. I’m mad at Lena and I hate that. It feels like when I couldn’t control taking in other people’s feeling but this one is mine and that makes it even worse. She asked me to stop being Supergirl!” 

Kara blows frustration through her nose harshly and turns toward her sister, waiting for her to rise to her level of anguish at the absurdity. She doesn’t. She remains sitting, far too calm for Kara’s liking. 

“Did she actually say that?”

“Well no.” 

“Then why did you say she did?” 

“Because she implied it!” She gives Alex a quick run down of their argument, getting increasingly annoyed at Alex’s lack of reaction. 

“Kara come sit. Take a breath please.” 

Kara does both and within moments of sitting next to her sister, Alex’s hand rubbing up and down her back soothingly, she starts to relax. It’s getting harder to maintain the energy it takes to stay upset. 

“Kara why are you really mad?” 

Kara thinks about the argument, the snipes that had happened over the past week. 

“Lena’s not talking to me. I’m worried about her Alex. She collapsed for Rao’s sake!” 

“Okay and why didn’t you tell her you were worried?” 

“I did!” Kara almost shouts, exasperation boiling over. 

“Did you really? Did you say those exact words?” 

“No... But I asked her to take care of herself so many times Alex! To take a break! To eat! Me being worried was implied!” 

“And how well did that just work out for you when you thought Lena was implying something?” 

Kara stops the protest that is on the tip of her tongue as she actually hears Alex’s words. Darn it! She’s being a jerk. 

“I’ve been a jerk,” Kara says quietly as she feels the guilt knot and settle in her stomach. 

“No Kar, you’ve just been worried and not communicating well. You can’t expect Lena to read your mind just like you don’t read hers. Even though I know you can I also know you’ve got your blocker on almost all the time. Be honest with her. Tell her what you’re actually feeling.” 

“I hate when you’re all smart and stuff,” Kara says leaning into her sister’s side. 

“No you don’t. You just hate being wrong,” Alex replies as she pulls Kara in for a hug. She holds her until Kara starts to twitch, mind already back in the medbay. 

“Go talk to your girlfriend. I’m supposed to be the stubborn sister damn it,” Alex says with a chuckle. 

Kara sticks her tongue out at Alex as she starts out the door. 

“You’re welcome!” Alex calls after her. 

She rushes back to Lena’s room, even though she can hear the deep sleeping breaths Lena is taking. She doesn’t want her to be alone anymore, even if she isn’t awake to know Kara’s there. She opens the door as quietly as she can and looks at Lena. Her face is tear streaked and pinched, even in sleep. 

Kara makes her way across the room and smooths out the lines of Lena’s forehead. She kisses where her fingers had just trailed and just holds her lips to Lena’s skin for a moment. When she pulls away she sees green anxious eyes looking at her and she smiles down at her girlfriend. 

“I didn’t mean to wake you.” 

“I know, I felt you here though.” 

Kara moves to sit down in the chair she had left right next to the bed but Lena moves her legs over enough for Kara to share a spot on the bed, not laying with her but not far either. Kara takes the olive branch and fidgets with her fingers until she is brave enough to look up at Lena, waiting in a way that would fool anyone else into thinking she was calm. 

“Do you want to start or should I?” Kara tries to put a little levity into her tone but knows she misses the mark. She isn’t attempting to minimize what they needed to say but she also didn’t want to stress the already to the max woman in the literal hospital bed. 

Lena tips her head indicating Kara should, her own hands pulling at her fingertips in a way that Kara recognizes as her own anxiety. She smiles in what she hopes is a reassuring way before she begins. 

“Lena I have always supported you in this and everything that you have done. Me wanting you to take care of yourself isn’t me trying to make you stop or not understanding how much you want this. I need you to eat, and sleep, and remember that you are human sometimes.” 

She looks at Lena watching her, her fingers have stopped pulling and Kara takes that as a good sign. She doesn’t falter in her gaze, trying to show Lena how much she wants her to hear what she is saying. Lena’s mouth twitches in something between a smile and a grimace but it’s enough for Kara to relax a little. The mask that she had worried about falling back into place not making an appearance to which Kara is grateful for. 

“I don’t want you to stop being a hero Kara. I don’t even know where that came from honestly.” 

Kara raises her eyebrow but doesn’t move to interrupt Lena when she’s obviously not done. Lena looks down at her bedsheet before continuing. 

“I just get so scared sometimes.” 

“Of what?” 

“I’m scared that you’ll get hurt. I’m scared that you’ll get killed. I’m scared that you will realize that I’m not good enough.” 

There. That statement right there. Kara has been waiting for it for what feels like weeks now but it still knocks the breath from her lungs. 

“Oh my beautiful Lena. My kind and generous and good Lena. I wish you would have told me before.” 

She takes Lena’s hand in her own and waits until she meets her eyes again. The green looking guilty though the tears that have yet to fall. 

“Lena you are so good. I wish more than anything else in the world that you would see that in yourself like I do. I know that it’s not going to happen overnight, and I will remind you as many times as you need, but you have to tell me what’s going on. You have to talk to me. Please Lena, please don’t shut me out.” 

Lena nods and it’s all Kara needs. She finally pulls Lena into a hug as they melt into each other. They continue to talk. They create rules about not leaving when they have fights, but make an allowance for walking around the apartment. They talk about safe words, that can be uttered at any moment and will always be respected by the other person. They talk about voicing needs, and fears, and insecurities, on both their parts. They talk about not letting things fester and not saying words in anger. They talk about talking and it’s not something that will be fixed instantaneously. They will need to have talks like this again and again, but it’s the first step. They finally fall asleep in each other’s arms feeling heard and loved. It’s the best rest they’ve gotten all week. 

Lena keeps her word moving forward. She allows time for eating food that is not the coffee grounds at the bottom of her cup, and sleeping instead of having that extra shot of espresso. For her part Kara tries to not be as reckless when she’s doing her Supergirl duties. She’s never been big on think first when it comes to fighting but for Lena she tries. Lena continues to be a force to be reckoned with and collects a group of people who want to help her from all walks of life.

She gets construction companies that are willing to not only donate time and work at cost but also incorporate people from the shelters who are wanting to help and learn. She hires professionals who excel in any area she thinks would be beneficial: childcare, teaching, life skills, financial planning, GED acquisition, interviewing specialists and many more. She talks to tailoring companies who are willing to work with whatever donated clothes she can amass and also teach classes in basic sewing. She hires a herd of decorators who are as passionate about the project as she is and work side by side with the families who will be moving into each house or apartment. 

The turn around for the first apartment complex is a mere six months, astounding everyone at the sheer stubbornness of the Luthor. Which brings Kara to today. 

She recognizes many of the faces down on the lawn in front of the stage. Lena waves and calls greetings to each new person that arrives. She asks questions about their children and partners, jobs and parents, pets and anything else they have bonded with the CEO over during the course of this project. 

Lena is breathtaking. She is radiating such happiness in this moment that it’s all Kara can do to resist swooping down to the podium and scooping her into a kiss. She does resist, though it’s difficult. She can only imagine what her face is doing when she hears Alex snickering in her earpiece and she starts to fly the perimeter again instead of hovering in midair shooting googly eyes at Lena. 

She waits for the last couple of reporters to trickle in before landing beside her girlfriend. She takes her stance a step behind her as Lena approaches the microphone. 

“Thank you all for coming to the culmination of the first step of a project that is so close to my heart. When Supergirl relayed her feelings on the state of our services meant to help those most vulnerable in this city I agreed completely with her pleas for more. It is with her help that L-Corp has been able to fund the building of this first of many apartment complexes that are tailored specifically to each family moving in. This is just the beginning of a project I hope to continue for as long as it takes to help people start to feel safe again. I have so many wonderful people to thank for aiding me in this venture, all the professionals that donated their services and time and who continue to help make this a reality. All of the people who have come together to give what they can. But especially all of the individuals and families that these homes have been created for. I cannot begin to describe the strength I found when spending time with them. They are the true inspiration that this city should be looking to. Thank you for allowing me to become a part of your life. Thank you for being willing to allow me to help. Thank you for helping me in return. Thank you for surviving, but now is the time for life to be about a little bit more. Supergirl will you join me in cutting the ribbon?” 

Lena looks over her shoulder, her smile shining brighter than the sun at Kara as she holds her hand out for Kara to grab. They take hold of the comically large scissors and after waiting for the press pictures to be taken slice through the bright red ribbon in front of the plaque in the courtyard. 

On it reads the name they had decided upon for their project: Stronger Together, and beneath a quote “Inhale the future, Exhale the past.”

The ribbon cutting was by no means the end of the work they would be devoting to the housing projects, but it was a milestone that allowed them all to breathe a little having accomplished. 

Two days after the ceremonial opening of their first apartment complex Lena and Kara give in to the demands of their friend and sister respectively and decide to have a night away from each other. Alex and Kara having a sisters night of catching up on shows and eating junk food, and Lena and Sam doing the same across town but painting it as much more adult and refined. Something neither of their significant others could resist chuckling about. 

Since they had the heart to heart in the DEO Kara and Lena’s relationship had only blossomed. They were able to communicate with each other without the walls that had stood in their way before. They had entered a blissful stage in the chaos around them and were closer than ever. Though having not had the time to go on an official second date was something they planned to remedy as soon as possible. After their night apart of course. 

That evening finds Kara and Alex in Kara’s apartment, sharing pizza, Chinese food, and drinks. Alex plops back down on the couch with a humph and waits for Kara to restart their Nexflix queue. 

“What is it now Commander Danvers?” Kara asks while not looking away from the battle going on in Purgatory. 

“All I wanted was a Sitrep and Vasquez had the gall to not only send my call to voicemail but deny me temporary access from the DEO mainframe. I didn’t even know she knew how to do that!” The red head grumbles as she takes a pull from her beer. 

“She didn’t. But Winn may or may not have shown her how to upon a certain suggestion from yours truly.” 

“Kara! I need to know what’s happening!” 

“No, you don’t actually. They are highly trained agents who can hold down the fort for one night by themselves. And we both know that if something actually happened they would call both of us.” 

“But J’onn left me in charge!” Alex voices in outrage. 

“And he also told you to get a life. That’s kind of the point of you not being in the field all the time anymore.” 

“I hate it when you’re right.” 

“I don’t,” Kara says around the last of the pizza she is cramming in her mouth. 

“I see dating a CEO has done nothing to refine your eating habits. Really Kar that’s disgusting. Does she actually take you out in public?” 

Alex dodges the crust that Kara halfheartedly throws at her and glares toward the grinning alien.

“Lena doesn’t complain about the way I eat thank you very much. We are doing great.” 

“Oh I know. By the way if you ever need help with less PG rated sexting let me know.” 

This time Alex gets hit square in the face by an empty pizza box that does nothing to quell the laughter erupting from the agent. 

“I thought you said you wouldn’t bright it up! It’s hard to text and fly Alex! I didn’t mean to send that to you!” Kara’s doing her best to ignore the blush painting her cheeks as Alex continues to laugh at her. 

“One, you shouldn’t be doing that anyways. Our budget for building maintenance really isn’t large enough to cover accidental Supergirl shaped holes that aren’t fight related. Two, really Kar that was barely even dirty. Don’t tell me Ms. Boarding School Educated isn’t more articulate.” 

“She does just fine!” Kara mumbles through gritted teeth wanting this conversation to die already. 

“I’m sure she’s got some great one liners. You need to up your game is all I’m saying.” 

“Alex!” Kara whines as the heat continues to travel down from her face. 

“Okay okay. How are you guys really? I know things were a little… tense a while back.” 

“We’re good. Really good actually. It’s hard sometimes with our schedules but we talked and things have gotten better.” 

Alex grabs her hand and squeezes once, Kara relaxing into the comforting touch of her sister. 

“I really am happy for you Kara. I think Lena’s great for you. And god knows she needs someone like you in her life to remind her to relax every so often. The woman is a ball of stress and that’s coming from me.” 

“I know. She tries to take on so much. I wish she wouldn’t spend so much time trying to make up for what her family has done.” 

“You can’t try to change someone Kar. That’s not how relationships work. Just keep talking to her. Tell her how you feel and how what she does affects you.” 

“I know. She’s just so stubborn. But I guess I should be used to that by now, I mean I grew up with you and that was practice enough for ten Lena’s.” 

This time it’s Alex who throws the cushion from the couch at her. Kara catches it and pulls it into her chest to hold. 

“What about you and Sam? Have you proposed yet?” 

Alex sputters and coughs beer through her nose as Kara smacks her across the back with maybe just a little too much enthusiasm to be actually helpful. 

“Kara! I’m not renting a U-Haul okay? It’s complicated with Ruby and we are trying to take things slow.” 

“Does she make you happy?” 

Alex all but melts as the dorkiest grin Kara has ever seen takes over her older sister’s face. 

“Yeah. She really really does.” 

“Good. I would hate to have to toss her into space considering she’s still got some of that Reign strength and all.” 

“You just don’t want to fight someone who could actually kick your ass. Again.” 

“Psh, please. I could totally take her.” 

“How about we don’t talk about you and my girlfriend fighting it out? She makes me happy, stand down Krypto.” 

“Alex!”

They go back to watching the Earp sisters take down revenants and debate the relative merits of Waverly and Deputy Haught while finishing off the last of the food. Kara never one to leave leftovers stuffs four potstickers in her mouth before she realizes Alex is taking a picture of her. 

“Delete that right now!” 

“I think it’s only fair to show Lena what she’s gotten into!” 

Another couple episodes and both Alex and Kara are a little tipsy, Kara having broken into her Aldebaran rum that M’gann had given her before she went to Mars. 

The show had been all but forgotten as they had started giggling about their girlfriends, wondering what they were up to on their night off. 

“I bet they are talking about us,” Kara ventures as she resists using her superhearing to hone in on the house across town. 

“They have much better things to talk about than the two of us.” 

“What’s better than us?” The sudden emphasis of her point causes Kara to slip off the couch and onto the floor with a oof. 

Alex laughs at her until Kara pulls her legs and she tumbles down next to her. They lay together on the floor, heads beside each other laughing. 

“I love you Alex.” 

“I love you too Kar. I even kinda missed this a little bit. Ya know?” 

Kara turns toward Alex and kisses her forehead, following it with a raspberry that blows more slobber than she was intending but the look of disgust on Alex’s face as she shoots up and then falls back down in a dizzy mess makes Kara start laughing all over again. 

When they finally settle down they just look at the ceiling in a comfortable quiet. 

“So how tipsy are you?” Alex asks, something in her voice that should have Kara concerned but the warmth in her stomach and the slight fuzz around the edges is too distracting. 

“I probably shouldn’t fight anything right now but besides that I’m A-Okay. Why?” 

“Wanna go see what they’re up to?” 

Kara hovers off the ground, flipping herself over to look down at Alex a few feet below her as she takes mental inventory of her powers. 

“We should probably drink some water first. And coffee. And cheese fries.” 

“You can’t drink cheese fries you goober!” 

“I can if I put them in a smoothie!” 

An hour later they are both nearer to sober, Kara having been talked out of the liquified cheese fries with only a little pouting. They both change into their respective outfits, Kara her super suit and Alex more black on black to replace the comfy sweater and galaxy patterned shorts she had been sporting, and prepare to fly across the city. 

Alex refuses the typical bridal carry and instead settles herself on Kara’s back. When she tries to use Kara’s hair as reigns Kara dips hard and shoots back up until Alex actually gets a good hold on her, screaming in delight at the less than normal flight path Kara has chosen that takes them over the ocean just in time to see the last of the sun's rays dip beyond the horizon. 

“More loops!” Alex yells as Kara takes her zigzagging across the cresting waves. The ocean spray splashes them in the face but they are having too much fun to care. Kara draws her fingers across the restless sea, watching her small ripples quickly disappearing even as she creates them. She swerves up suddenly in a large arch, yelling for Alex to hold on tight, while she does loop after loop until she’s worried about them both being sick. Alex’s cries of excitement getting quiet suddenly and when Kara looks over her shoulder her sister is definitely a little green. 

“Alex Danvers if you puke on me I am dropping you in the ocean,” she calls above the wind and waves. 

“I know how to swim Kara!” 

“Not thirty miles out you don’t!” 

She levels them out and slowly makes her way back toward land. When they reach the shore she momentarily considers just flopping them both down into the sand but at Alex’s reminder she sets a course for Sam’s house. 

They arrive after dark has fully fallen and Kara brings them to a stop a few feet from the living room window. Sam’s sitting room has three walls completely made of windows, facing into the backyard. It’s Kara’s favorite room by far, having spent many a day lying on the floor and letting the sun soak into her. Lena always complains about having to wear sunscreen inside and is met with boisterous calls of her being too pale for her own good. Alex had taken to calling her vampire for a long stretch of months until Lena threatened to bite her which lead Kara to crush a soda on accident, sending fizzy liquid all over the living room that the Danvers sisters had to both help clean up under the disappointed glares that Sam and Lena had both turned on them. 

“Alex you have to be quiet! Like really quiet. Or they will hear us okay?” Kara whispers, though even to her ears it sounds a lot louder than she was going for. 

Alex nods her head very seriously, smatterings of salt from the ocean water being shaken out of her short hair. 

“Okay, we’re going to get a little closer. Be stealth.” 

“I am the stealthiest of stealth Kara. I taught you how to be stealth. Well tried, considering you are impossible sometimes.” 

Kara rolls her eyes and moves within three feet of the window. They peak in and see both Lena and Sam lounging on the couch, glass of wine in each of their hands, and the remnants of their meal on the coffee table. Kara about loses what stealth she had going for her when she sees the take away packages from the Chinese restaurant they themselves had ordered from. Healthy eating her patooie. She was going to razz Lena so hard tomorrow when she talked to her. But she couldn’t because then she would have to tell her she had been spying on her. Not that this was really spying per se, more like just checking in a little. Yeah she’s not going to mention the Chinese. 

The door to the patio had been left open, screen door clasped, but it allowed Alex and Kara to hear what was going on inside without Kara having to pass each sentence back to Alex. 

Lena and Sam were facing each other, both smiling with cheeks a little rosy proving that those glasses probably hadn’t been the first of the evening. Kara loves seeing Lena like this, in her yoga pants that wrapped her legs up like a present, and Kara’s sleep shirt with her family crest on it. She hadn’t even noticed it was gone but it looks so much better on Lena she decides not to mention that either. Plus seeing her wearing her symbol was doing things to Kara. Things not appropriate to concentrate on while being stealth and having her older sister still on her back. Said older sister was leaning far too much to the right and Kara jostles her back into place. 

“What were you saying before? About kids yes? You must be over the moon to have found a partner who wants the same thing you do,” Lena says to Sam, still smiling and taking another large sip of wine. 

“Lena it’s incredible. When Alex said she wanted kids I was so excited! I’ve always wanted to give Ruby brothers and sisters. I think five would be a good number, in addition to Ruby not total of course. Alex will probably have to quit her job but couldn’t you just see her being a housewife?” 

Alex’s entire body goes rigid. Kara is too scared to move or her no longer functioning sister would crash down to Earth. Six kids?!? Alex quitting her job?!? Didn’t they just talk about not U-Hauling not an hour earlier? 

“I can’t believe how lucky you got Sam. Cheers to getting knocked up again! If you do it soon you can have a New Year’s Baby!” 

At that Alex catapults herself from Kara’s back, but her landing is severely miscalculated by the drinks still in her system and she goes into her roll far too soon. Kara reaches out lightening fast and grabs hold of her sister’s ankle, Alex now dangling upside down in midair looking around confused at what was happening. 

“Alex that was not stealth!” Kara admonishes, her whisper definitely not quiet enough this time.

“Neither of you has a stealth bone in your body Danvers! Feel free to join us anytime,” Sam calls as her and Lena burst into giggles. Lena had gotten up during the careless move Alex had attempted and the porch lights catch the sisters, who both promptly turn red and stare at each other wondering what to do. 

“Darling, put Alex down gently and come in here. Did you forget Sam still has some of her Kryptonian powers, including enhanced hearing?”

“So she’s not having five of Alex’s babies?” Kara calls toward the door being held open by her girlfriend who is staring at them with mirth in her eyes. 

“Nah,” calls Sam, “just two for now, but we’ll see!” 

Alex wiggles her way out of the hold, Kara catching her again and righting her in midair so she doesn’t face plant into the stone walkway. Alex hits the ground and moves toward the door and her own girlfriend, looking far too dopey to be upset. Kara follows her at a much slower pace, well she’s not sprinting at least, and finds Lena still waiting for her. 

“Hello Kara, how was sister’s night?” She asks, smiling and accepting the hug from the blonde. 

“I missed you!” 

“And I you, honestly we expected you a couple hours ago, though I am glad you at least took time to sober up a little. Drunk flying is not acceptable Ms. Danvers.” 

“I promise,” Kara says as she crosses her heart through Lena, drawing the cross on Lena’s back in the approximation of where hers would be if they weren’t still hugging each other. Lena laughs at her antics and pulls back enough to greet her with a quick kiss before disentangling herself and pulling Kara into the house.

They all end up sleeping at Sam’s house that night, by the time they are too tired to stay awake any longer it was too late to go anywhere. Plus Kara’s likeness to become a koala bear when drinking meant Lena wasn’t leaving the couch anytime soon. Not that she seemed to mind. They had spent many nights together at that point but Kara would never get used to being able to see Lena last thing at night and first thing the next morning. 

She curls closer to her girlfriend as Sam tosses a blanket at them, smacking Lena in the face and covering Kara’s upper half that was laying curled around Lena’s middle. 

“Goodnight losers,” Alex calls while being fireman carried out of the room by Sam. 

“Wanna get naked with me?” Alex asks far too loud for Kara not to notice.

“No funny business Alex! I don’t need the nightmares!” Kara shouts after her, muffled because she’s too comfortable to unbury her head from Lena’s lap. She starts humming as Lena cards her fingers through her hair, quickly losing the fight against consciousness. She has just enough energy to be pulled up and brush her teeth with Lena in the bathroom as the brunette takes off her makeup and gets ready for bed. 

Kara stands, toothbrush hanging from her mouth and just avoiding dripping globs of toothpaste down her front, as Lena catches her eye in the mirror and winks at her. 

“How you doing Darling?” 

“I’m perfect.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Yes. It’s been a perfect night. And now I get to spend it cuddling you on the couch,” Kara tells her as she finishes washing her mouth out. Lena smiles at her and pulls her bra out the sleeve of Kara’s shirt. 

“That does sound pretty perfect doesn’t it?” 

“Everything is perfect when I’m with you.” 

“Alright you charmer, let’s go lay down.” Lena laces their fingers together and leads them back to the couch, laughing as Kara flops down and turns over, opening her arms for Lena to crawl into her embrace. They settle quickly and with a kiss goodnight both fall asleep. 

Kara wakes up the next morning to the suns rays covering her, though not as thoroughly as the sleeping woman still in her arms. She holds Lena tight against her as she reaches her hearing out to find out if anyone else is awake yet. She hears the still resting breathing of Sam and Alex in the bedroom upstairs and shifts a little to try to adjust the lower half of her body that is sliding off the couch. Her movements cause Lena to stir and she feels her nuzzle further into Kara’s neck. 

“Not morning yet,” Lena mumbles, the vibrations of her voice sending goose pimples across Kara’s skin. 

“Rest,” she whispers, “no one else is up yet.” 

She’s proved wrong as the front door slams open to the loud clomping of Ruby who pulls up upon seeing the two of them dozing on the couch. 

Kara hears Alex groan as she too is woken by the excited shriek of the 13 year old. 

“No,” Lena grumbles and pulls the blanket up over her head. 

“I didn’t know you guys would be here!” Ruby yells far too early for the hungover humans and sensitive aliens who are all accepting that their quiet morning is not meant to be. 

“Little quieter Rubes. Some of us haven’t had nearly enough sleep,” Sam says as she grabs her daughter in a side hug and places a kiss on her forehead. 

“Cuz you were up all night doing ‘adult’ things?” 

Sam snorts and moves toward the kitchen to start coffee. Lena unburries her face from the sanctuary of the blanket, the most adorable little frown pulling at her features. 

“Why is there so much sun??” 

“Good morning sleepy head, time to greet the day,” Kara singsongs quietly in Lena’s ear, being pushed aside by hands still uncoordinated from sleep. 

“I’m surrounded by insane people.” 

“Get used to it Luthor,” Alex grumbles, appearing at the bottom of the stairs with sleep pants decaled in Batman symbols, “that one you’re so sweetly wrapped around rises with the sun.” 

Kara pouts but it quickly turns into a smile as she tries to catch Lena’s morning kisses. 

“Darling until I’ve brushed my teeth and had some coffee I’m going to need you to take it down to a more reasonable 2 or 3,” Lena says accepting the forehead kiss before slipping out of Kara’s arms and making her way towards the bathroom. She stops to hug a still excited Ruby and tosses a wave in Alex and Sam’s general direction. 

Once the adults have mainlined some caffeine and everyone is sitting down to pancakes, small mountains for Kara and Ruby and more manageable stacks for the rest of them, everyone seems to acknowledge that being awake is a thing that is happening. 

“And then Shana said that when the bottle spins toward someone you have to kiss them and I was grossed out because what if it landed on Jeremy Semple?!? He smells like he rubs the magazine inserts all over himself and has a stupid mustache that’s really just a couple hairs he hasn’t had the sense to shave off!” 

She’s met with grins and chuckles from the women surrounding her. Lena leaning heavily into Kara’s side still which makes eating a little more difficult but Kara’s up to the task. 

“You shouldn’t be kissing anyone Ruby,” Alex sternly warns, only to be met with a stuck out tongue by Ruby and laughter from everyone else. 

“She’s so young. I didn’t really kiss anyone until I was in college.” 

“Yeah but you also thought kissing boys was gross even after your teenage hormones vacated,” Kara offers, high fiving Ruby as Alex glares. 

“You don’t have to kiss anyone you don’t want to baby,” Sam says to her daughter as she hands her a napkin to wipe at the syrup she’s managed to get all over her face. 

“She’s way too much like Kara for her own good. Let’s hope she grows out of it.” Alex dodges then scrap of bacon tossed at her by Kara. Everyone quickly looks to their food when Sam pulls out her best mom glare and they start to talk about their plans for the rest of the day. 

Ruby has to finish a project for science that Alex offers to help with, Sam smiling at her girlfriend and daughter getting on so well. 

“I really should check in at L-Corp,” Lena says unenthusiastically. 

“Or we could play hooky and enjoy the sunshine!” 

“That sounds wonderful Darling, but I have a conference call I can’t miss at 1.” 

“After?” Kara’s pout is out in full force until Len relents with a soft kiss and an eye roll. 

“After I’m all yours,” Lena promises. 

“Can I take you on a date tonight?” 

“Can you guys stop being so disgusting this early??” Alex grumbles, completely ignored by the two still staring at each other. 

“She’s your sister,” Lena laughs as Kara nudges Alex below the table maybe a little too hard as Alex exclaims loudly. 

“By adoption only!” 

“Hey!” 

“Enough!” Sam says, trying fruitlessly to corral the bickering sisters. 

“Really guys, you’re worse than me and my friends,” says Ruby unhelpfully. 

“Yes Kara, I would love to go on a date with you tonight. I should be done around 4 if you want to plan for after that.” 

“Kara, at least check in at the DEO long enough to let them know you won’t be available tonight,” Alex adds staring at Sam who has gotten up to grab more coffee. 

“What about you Miss ‘they need me there 24/7 or the whole world will explode?’”

“I am otherwise spoken for,” Alex says, looking back at her sister with remnants of hearts in her eyes as Sam squeezes her shoulder before refilling their cups. 

“And I’m the gross one.” 

“Love makes people gross,” says Ruby before she gets up to go put her dishes in the dishwasher. 

“That it does Rubes,” says Kara, stuffing the last of the bacon in her mouth over the outraged yell of her sister and the poke to the side by Lena. 

Sam sits down and just smiles at all of them. It really is a great way to start the day. 

Lena and Sam take off to conquer the corporate world a couple hours later and Kara decides to stay and help Ruby and Alex with their science project. 

To which half an hour in she is told she is absolutely no help at all. 

“But don’t you think she should do a report on actual science instead of the pseudo physics principals Earth is so far behind on?” Kara yells from her banishment in the kitchen where she had been sent to get more snacks.

“Kara, Ruby is taking an Earth Science class so I don’t think her teacher would appreciate her revolutionizing the laws just because she happens to have a Kryptonian aunt who is trying to confuse her.” 

“I’m not confused,” Ruby says as she colors in the rocket modeling Newton’s second law of motion to be put on the bulletin board. 

“Shush you, you’re supposed to be on my side,” Alex fake chastises her. 

“But my side is the side of truth!” Kara drops the snacks in the table and puts her fists at her side, in her classic superhero pose. 

“Yeah Alex, the side of truth!” 

“True as it may be you are going to do this the same way I had to back in the day,” Alex says as she rubs her head, glaring at Kara who is now scarfing down chips. 

“Mom says if people don’t know something it’s our job to help them.” 

“Your mom would also say that in this instance shaming a teacher would be unkind. Now hand over the gel pens squirt, we’ve got to finish detailing the figure in the corner.” 

Kara huffs but lets it slide. She had plenty of time to educate Ruby when it’s not something her grade depends on. Lena loves when she talks science to her, she always asks the best questions. 

“Kara’s thinking about Lena again,” Ruby says loud enough to pull Kara out of her daydreams about a particularly good conversation they had last week over dinner. 

“Yeah, she always gets that mushy face when she thinks about your aunt doesn’t she?” 

“Don’t pretend you don’t get the same one whenever you think about Sam. ‘Oh Kara, Sam is so beautiful when she comes home from work and takes off her heels. Sam is so smart. Sam…’” She gets cut off as Alex shoves more chips into her mouth, blushing to her ears. 

Ruby and Kara laugh as Ruby starts to glue on the pictures she’s drawn. 

“Do you love her?” Ruby asks. 

“Who Alex? Yeah I kind of have to her being my sister and all.” 

“Har har,” Alex grumbles. 

“No, Lena. Do you love Lena?” 

“I do. I love Lena very much,” Kara doesn’t even try to stop the smile this time that takes over her face. 

“Are you going to marry her?” 

Kara looks at the teenager, still meticulously lining up the last piece of her presentation and not looking at her. 

“I hope so Rubes, someday I really hope so.” 

“I think you should. She loves you too. I’ve never seen her like she is when you’re around.” 

“From the mouths of babes,” Alex adds, her own genuine smile aimed at her sister. 

“Do you think she wants to marry me?” Kara isn’t sure who she is asking, maybe herself, but Ruby’s the one who answers with all the attitude only someone her age can fit into so few syllables. 

“Duh, she’d probably say yes tonight if you asked her.” 

Kara chokes on a chip as Alex guffaws at her face. She takes a giant gulp of water to dislodge the food from her throat and turns back to both of them staring at her. 

“That’s probably not going to happen but thanks for the suggestion.” Her voice is far too high to hit the casual mark she was aiming for. 

“I’m just saying…” 

“Let’s finish your project so you can practice your speech for us before this one goes to pick up her girlfriend,” Alex says, patting Kara on the back as she moves to get more water for all of them. 

“Fine,” says Ruby, rolling her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope the second half made up for the first. Sometimes conversations need to be had even if they aren’t particularly fun. Yay for adulting.   
> Anyways, thanks for reading!   
> Catch me on tumblr nataliawhite92 :)


	8. Talking to Angels, Counting the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliza is the best Earth mom, Lena and Kara’s date, Ruby being totally subtle, and so much softness. Really though, this is a fluff fest.

Kara knows Lena said she would be done by 4 but considering it’s still two hours away she needs to find something to fill the time. She leaves Alex and Ruby after listening to the presentation speech with minimal comments and scoffs about inaccuracy. 

“Kar, seriously thank you for helping. I mean it wasn’t amazingly helpful but it’s nice to spend time with you and the squirt,” Alex says while hugging her goodbye. 

“You’re really good with her. I’m happy that you’ve found yourself a family,” she says quietly back. 

“Don’t start with that mushy stuff again. But thank you. I really feel happy.” Alex’s grin softens when she looks back at the teenager who may or may not be sneaking glances at them while also trying to pretend like she isn’t. 

“Don’t mess it up okay? I know you guys are taking it slow but don’t let anyone else’s timeline influence yours.”

“I won’t. Now go. And don’t show up just to sit around pouting in her office. It’s gross.” 

Kara sticks her tongue out as she walks over to hug Ruby goodbye. 

She flies over the beach for a while. Plans already set and ready for Lena and her date later she finds herself without anything to do. She hears Alex’s nagging in her head and turns away from National City toward her first home on Earth. 

It’s been a couple months since she saw her Earth mom and she’s missed her. Her calm presence so much like Alex’s but without the teasing bite her daughter doles out. Kara hasn’t been avoiding her but she also hasn’t really talked to her about things. Their weekly phone calls touching on the changes in her life but always at her own pace, which is akin to that of a snails when it has come to Lena. Eliza knows about their relationship but not in detail. 

When she arrives in Midvale she feels the wash of comfort soak into her at the city limit sign. She finds Eliza in the garden, sleeves rolled up and gardening gloves on. 

“Kara,” Eliza greets smiling as she stands and walks toward her, “did I know you were coming for a visit?” 

“No, I just wanted to see you,” she says looking down at the toes of her boots that are digging little holes in the soft dirt pile Eliza is working from. 

“You know you’re always welcome here, but I suspect this isn’t just a because you missed me visit,” Eliza says gently, pulling Kara into a hug. 

Kara sinks into her warmth, cradling the older woman to her as tightly as is safe as she is hit with many moments just like this. The strength of Eliza has always been so evident to anyone paying attention, it wasn’t an in your face strength like Alex or herself, it’s the deep embodiment of a woman who does whatever she needs to make things better. She had been dealt such a raw hand, an angry alien dropped off on her doorstep by a family member who wasn’t ready to claim her. Her husband disappearing soon after. Alex and Kara’s fighting that literally tore the house apart sometimes. But through it all she was the eye of the storm; so much chaos trying to rip her world to shreds but her never allowing it. Kara learned how to be a human from Alex’s explicit (and a lot of the time at her expense in the name of “science”) coachings, but Eliza had taught her how to be a person. 

It had taken Kara a long time to accept this woman in her life. She fought so hard to not let her in her heart, but it was exhausting. It was impossible. It was something that couldn’t hold. Eliza never pushed but Kara could see how it hurt her to be held at a distance, to not be trusted. The day Kara finally allowed Eliza to hug her was the real beginning of their relationship. Kara let go of the idea that allowing Eliza to comfort her meant she was rejecting her mother, so freshly gone in her mind even if it had been decades in linear time. She squeezes Eliza a little tighter as she remembers learning to love them both. Her two mothers, one of Krypton who was no longer alive, and one of Earth who loved her fiercely enough to dull the pain. 

“Kara how about you come in hm? I don’t know how long you are planning to stay but I can put some tea on?” 

Kara nods her head and allows herself to be lead inside the house that she grew up in. Few things have changed and while home had been a loose concept since crashing into this planet she would always associate soft, warm colors adorning the walls and the combined smell of lavender and the ocean with the idea. Her school portraits lined the walls, Alex and her growing older before her eyes. This was the place where she could trace back her years by the haircuts (usually Alex’s disasters but occasionally her own as well if Eliza went at it with Kryptonite enhanced scissors.) There were scenes from parties, and evenings in. Running on the beach and family dinners. Christmases in matching pajamas and everyday moments. Laughter echoes still through the halls and she can almost hear the sound of Alex’s loud footfalls stomping down the stairs, her screaming at Kara that powers are for cheaters and she gets to make breakfast first for once. Her fingers trace the rough bumps of the textured walls, finding the places where they had to stucco holes caused in a time when she was a lot less in control of her abilities. 

She stops at a picture taken not long after she had been dropped off by Kal, her and Alex’s teenage selves standing as far away from each other as possible to still be able to appear in the frame together. She runs her finger along Alex’s face; set in a frown that younger Kara had thought permanent the first year they lived together. Her own face is down turned, sadness and confusion radiating out in waves she worried would never end. Her eyes just meet the lens and are so clouded with fear Kara can barely make out the blues she sees every morning in the mirror. She remembers the terror of that moment, the waiting to be sent away, the uncomfortable silences during dinners that were never enough even with her larger portions, the crisp snap a chair makes when it shatters, the mutters from her new sister that had her hiding; sure she would never figure anything out. She had felt so alone back then, the last daughter of Krypton playing house with people who had no idea. She sees now how much Eliza and Jeremiah had tried, had failed only to try something new but at the time she just saw the failures, the missing. 

The picture directly next is of them four years later, Alex getting ready to leave that morning to go to college. It’s so different it almost doesn’t look like the same girls. They cling to each other and aren’t looking at the camera this time. Kara had barreled into Alex’s chest after she had deposited the last of her bags into the trunk of the car Eliza had given her. She hears the oof of expelled breath as Alex caught her. The whispered reassurances that she was still close, would still be there for her, would never really leave her. Alex is looking down at little Kara in the picture, one arm wrapped around her back and the other slightly blurred as it pet her hair. 

“I love those pictures of you girls.” Kara had been so immersed in her own memories she hadn’t heard Eliza return from the kitchen with two steaming mugs of tea. 

She accepts hers and blows a tiny bit of freeze breath on them both. 

“Alex looks so angry. I thought she would hate me forever when I first got here.” 

“She was scared. Alex has always been very comfortable in her routine, especially at that age. You were an anomaly, but look how much changed even a couple years later.” 

Kara looks again at the second photo, her sister, her protector. She still feels guilty about having derailed her life, all of their lives. They were a family before she came, but they welcomed her the best they could, and she found that family was so much more than blood. 

“Yeah, she’s always been pretty stubborn,” Kara grins around the sip of her tea, chamomile and ginger. Eliza always makes it for them when something is happening. She always knows, a true mother. 

“Both my daughters are exhaustingly stubborn Kara, it’s what makes the two of you so strong. Though I would have loved a little more quiet sometimes I sure miss the screaming matches now.” 

“I’m sorry we don’t visit enough…” 

“Nonsense, I know how much you two have going on. I see it all the time on the news. But this isn’t about Supergirl or the DEO is it?” They sit on the couch well worn from the many movie nights, the bouncing, the flopping down in moments of dramatic teenagedom. This is why Kara came here, to be surrounded by safety when everything else in her life is changing. 

“It’s about Lena,” she hedges quickly, watching for any change of expression or upset from Eliza. She should know better by now. Eliza just smiles a little bigger and tilts her head for Kara to continue. 

“I love her.” 

“Oh Kara, of course you love her. She seems like a very beautiful person, not that I would know. Again the stubbornness of my daughters, hoarding their significant others like children with a stash of candy,” she teases gently while pulling Kara’s hand to be held in hers. 

“I thought I loved James. I thought I loved Mon-El more than that. But I didn’t. I see now what love actually feels like, what it looks like. I love Lena more than I have ever loved anyone,” she shoots a guilty look toward her adopted mother who squeezes her hand and encourages her to continue, “and it did scare me. I was so scared of messing things up, of her pushing me away. But we are happy. I mean we fight, and we disagree, and we get upset at each other but that’s perfect too. I can get mad at her, and her at me, and we come back together. We don’t have to pretend everything is always good, we can be mad and not worry it’s going to be the end.” Kara becomes more active as she talks about them. Her hand not held by Eliza fluttering around as she talks about Lena’s work, the housing project they have been doing together, the fight that it lead to. She catches Eliza up on their life together, and only has to be reminded a couple times when she gets lost trying to describe how beautiful Lena really is. 

“What’s worrying you then Kara?” Eliza asks after they both stop laughing at Kara being pulled back down after going for a sketch pad because their just aren’t words to describe the ears of Lena Luthor, not to mention her jawline. She knows that Eliza has seen her, Lena is almost always in the news for some reason or other, but it’s not the same!

“Everything is changing, and I’m not like Alex. I can totally roll with the punches, you’ve seen me fight! I’m great at reacting to what’s in front of me. I am totally fine with all that…” 

“But?”

“But I’m changing Eliza. I’m the one who is changing…” 

“And you wish they were here to see who you are changing into.” 

Kara looks at the softness in Eliza’s face. She won’t avoid what needs to be said but neither will she be cruel in how she says it. 

“Yeah,” Kara’s voice is muffled by the emotions in her throat and eyes, so close to coming out and she tries futilely to hold them at bay. 

“Oh Kara,” she doesn’t say anything else and Kara lets herself be pulled into the hug she knew was coming. As soon as she lays her head down on Eliza’s shoulder her dam breaks and she cries. She cries and shakes and falls apart, knowing that she will always have help being put back together. Eliza doesn’t say anything, she rubs her back in those perfectly pressured circles that Kara remembers and just holds her. 

When Kara stops crying she doesn’t pull herself away, the biorhythms of her adopted mother a comfort even as her own have slowed back down. She lets herself be held and listens as Eliza takes a deep breath, preparing herself to say whatever she has been thinking. 

“Kara, all I’ve ever wanted for both my daughters is to be happy. Whatever, or whoever, gives you that happiness you should try to hold onto. And it’s not just Lena, it’s who you have become, it’s who you have grown into.” 

“I’m not going to let go,” her throat dry, and mouth filled with the cotton of a good cry, but still she hears herself adamant. 

“There are more than just one way not to let someone go, not letting them in is the same act of destruction in a relationship.” 

“I’m scared.” 

“What are you scared of?” 

“Forgetting them, replacing them, not being able to share this with them.” That was the new fear, she had worked with her guilt about replacing or forgetting those who had perished on Krypton for years, but starting this new chapter of her life and not having her parents with her hurt. As soon as she gave voice to it she felt her truth held so close to the chest break open. 

“They are always with you Kara.” 

“I know. But I wish they could meet her, I wish they could see who I am now. They would love her Eliza.” 

“They would, they would be so happy for you,” she’s still brushing Kara’s back but it’s not in the same way as when she was in the middle of breaking down. It was softer, and without the careful pattern that she could hold onto. It was fluid and changing, but so was she. 

“I wish they were here,” she says at barely a whisper. It always felt mean to talk about her parents with Eliza, like she was betraying all of them at the same time. It had taken a lot of talks, so many reassurances, that Eliza wanted to hear about them. That she wanted them to be as huge a part of Kara’s life as they were meant to be, even if they were no longer here. 

“I have never tried to replace your parents but I think of myself as your mother also,” Kara is quick to nod her reassurance when Eliza’s voice softens around the possession, “I know they would be as proud of you as I am Kara Zor-El Danvers. You came here and you soared, and I’m not talking about the powers given to you by the yellow sun. You turned into exactly who you wanted to be and now you are embracing love and happiness in your life instead of running away from it. There is nothing more a parent wants for their child.” 

Kara stays in her arms, thinking about what she said. She knows that the words won't fully sink in right now but eventually they will. This is why she came to Midvale instead of floating around stuck in her own mind. She didn’t even know what she had been struggling with before she started talking to Eliza, but she knew that she would help. That’s what a mother does. 

She has to leave soon after, finishing her tea under the watchful threat of a mom glare. She gives Eliza one more hug before flying back toward National City, and Lena. 

“Share it with her Kara, share with her all the parts of yourself. Trust her. If this really is love you believe it to be she won’t abuse that trust. If she is truly your partner she will cherish it,” Eliza had whispered to her right before she took off. 

She did trust Lena. There was no part of her that didn’t trust what they had, the doubts being quieted time and time again as they continued to talk about everything except this. It wasn’t lack of trust or even fear that had her hesitating to tell Lena about where she came from. It was conditioning, she had always held that piece of herself back, that most alien part of her hidden away in a little box. But she couldn’t let it stay there any longer. She wanted Lena to know who she was before she came here. She wanted her to know her parents, both their achievements and mistakes. She wanted to show her Krypton, as much as she could. She wanted to take her to the fortress. 

She checks her watch as she hits National City and sees she is actually 2 minutes late. Throwing a quick text to Alex causes her to be another five minutes late but it’s worth it. She hovers in the air above L-Corp rapid firing texts with Alex. 

[Alex] [Yeah I know. Eliza just called me and spent the past ten minutes lecturing me about bringing Sam and Ruby and Lena to the next family dinner so thanks for that!]

[Kara] [Sorry not Sorry!]

[Alex] [Letting you see memes was literally the worst decision I’ve ever made. Including letting you talk me into going to 3 all you can eat buffets in one day.] 

[Kara] [That was the best day of my entire life! Lots of food emojis]

[Alex] [Does Lena know where she rates on your favorites list?]

[Kara] [She’s at the top Alex! Smiley face emoji with an up pointing arrow]

[Alex] [I always knew Luthor wouldn’t let up control even in the bedroom eyebrow raising emoji]

[Kara] [ALEX!]

[Alex] [That’s what you get for throwing me under the bad daughter bus shrug emoji]

[Kara] [Goodbye eye rolling emoji and angry eyes emoji]

[Alex] [Enjoy your snack]

[Kara] [ALEX!]

Kara touches down on the balcony, still shaking her head at her sister. Though Lena does have that thing about nicknames. Maybe if she calls her food related ones she’ll finally find something that sticks. Croissant maybe? 

Kara pauses outside the door, Lena’s back still turned to her as she continues typing at almost a superspeed pace and talking to Jess. It’s the later who notices her first and smiles before remembering to scowl and roll her eyes at Lena when she stops mid sentence about meetings for tomorrow to turn to look at Kara. 

“Useless,” Jess mutters under her breath before telling Lena she will email her the new schedule only to be brushed off with a wave. 

“Sounds good, have a great night Jess,” Lena says rising to open the door that Kara doesn’t need opened but loves the act of chivalry all the same from her girlfriend who has still not broken eye contact. 

“Of course it sounds good, you stopped listening to me the moment you realized she was here,” Jess says under her breath after wishing them both a good night and sending one more scowl at Kara/Supergirl. The door closes behind her as the glass one opens and Lena falls into her waiting arms for a hug.

“You’re late,” she kisses into Kara’s lips smiling. 

“Blame Alex,” Kara returns, chasing Lena’s lips as she pulls away a little to raise her eyebrow. 

“And what does Alex have to do with our date? If she had any hand in planning I’m going to need to change,” the humor in her voice fills Kara with butterflies. She wonders if this woman will ever stop surprising her with her quick wit and charm. She sure hopes not. 

“You are perfect. Don’t change a thing, except maybe come back over here so I can keep kissing you.” 

Lena moves back towards her and their lips connect again. The softness not being lost even as Kara feels Lena’s mouth open and her tongue trace Kara’s bottom lip. 

“Lena…” she warns, because she really did plan a date for them and the way this is going she’s about ten seconds away from saying to heck with it all and keep making out with her girlfriend. 

“Yes Darling?” She kisses through her smirk, Kara feeling the corners of her lips pull up in response. 

“Lena our date!” She’s trying, she’s trying so hard but she only has so much resolve left. 

“Isn’t the point of a date to spend time together?” She pulls back a little to look at Kara while touching Kara’s chest with her pointer finger. “You…” then drawing the finger back to her own chest, straining against her blouse that she’s undone the top two buttons of after a long day at work, “and me,” she leans back into place the last word on Kara’s lips, “together?” 

Kara groans and lets herself slump into Lena. Resistance has always been futile when this woman gets an idea into her head. Kara is starting to wind her fingers through Lena’s hair when she stops at the soft hands grabbing her wrists. Confusion fills her face but it morphs into a smile at Lena’s own playful glint in her eyes. 

“Alright Ms. Danvers, wine and dine me.” 

Kara doesn’t know whether to shout in frustration or excitement at getting to share the date she has planned. She opts to just laugh. She lets it build from her stomach and spins them around until they are both laughing and breathless. 

“Are you ready?” She asks before reaching to pick Lena up. 

“Up, up, and away Supergirl,” Lena says, laughter still in her voice. 

Kara rolls her eyes as she picks Lena up beneath the legs, placing a kiss to her forehead before setting out the open door into the night sky. 

She wants to fly fast, to show Lena the adrenaline inducing wonder that is flying in the darkened sky, the wind in their hair, and the quiet coziness of a city making its way home below them. She also wants to slow herself to a crawl so the flight with Lena in her arms never ends. But she has time. She has time for different flights, for showing Lena everything she loves about having these powers, for finding new things to love because she gets to share them with the woman in her arms. She has time. 

She squeezes Lena a little tighter before she starts the descent, watching Lena’s eyes searching furiously to figure out where they have arrived at. It’s not until they break through the treeline that the building becomes apparent. Kara knows she’s figured it out when Lena’s head whips around, spark and questions in her eyes but none making them out of her mouth. 

“I know you loved watching the stars when you were small, I thought maybe we could keep learning about them together,” Kara says, still holding Lena in her arms and waiting to see if she hit the mark. 

Lena pulls her closer with an excited squeal, the arms around the back of Kara’s neck bringing their faces together. 

“Kara, this is perfect! I have a ticket for the grand opening next month! How did you get us in before??” 

“Being Supergirl has its perks, I helped when the crane snapped as the telescope was being placed. This was their way of thanking me.” 

“You little superhero you,” Lena giggles as Kara sets her legs down but she stays wrapped in her arms. 

“You like it?” 

“I love it Kara. I love you.” 

“I love you too,” she says stealing a kiss from Lena’s lips before lacing their fingers and pulling her toward the door of the planetarium. 

Kara was offered a private tour for the two of them but declined the second half of it, wanting to spend uninterrupted time with Lena in the large auditorium. Geoff leads them around the initial rooms dedicated to different planets and constellations. He turns the lights off and shows them how the walls glow with embedded lights that are grouped like parts of the night sky. He shows them photos taken by satellites of the gaseous atmosphere of the giants beyond the meteor belt. He tells them about the miraculous save of Supergirl with their giant telescope and how much of a disaster it would have been had she not helped them. He stares at her, eyes sparkling as Kara flushes and mutters about it being no problem. Lena runs her thumb over Kara’s knuckles and mouths “hero.” Kara feels the blush reach the tip top of her ears and hustles them after Geoff who has stepped through the doorway into the auditorium. 

Kara has seen the room before but even if she hadn’t she would be watching Lena experience the room for the first time. She watches her take in the stadium seating circling the raised stage in the middle of the room, directly above which is the giant telescope that can be adjusted from the control panel in the middle of the stage. The entire domed roof can fall away so the room is open to the sky. Lena’s eyes are giant and shining as she spins around in a slow circle taking it all in. She turns toward Kara, heart in her eyes and still unable to form words. 

Kara thanks Geoff who gives them a little bow as he assures them that they can stay as long as they like. When he closes the door behind him Kara brings Lena’s hand to her lips and places a kiss on it before asking her to give her a moment. Lena nods her acquiesce and Kara superspeeds everything into place, pulling the chair back for Lena to gracefully sit down in before taking her own. The table is set in front of them with Italian food from Lena’s favorite restaurant, Kara using her heat vision to carefully light the candles that send a soft glow across both their faces. 

“Show off,” Lena chides with no malice as she looks at the spread. 

“I just want to make you happy.” 

“Kara, you make me happier than I ever imagined possible. I never thought someone like me would ever deserve to have a friend like you, much less a partner.” 

Suddenly the distance between them is too much and Kara scooches her chair around the table until she is sitting right in front of Lena, holding her hands in her own. 

“Lena, you deserve every happiness in this world and every other. You are the best,” she moves to hold Lena’s face in her hand when Lena starts to shake her head, “don’t doubt what I’m telling you. You are so important for me. You are so good Lena.” 

“I just don’t want you to realize that I’m not.” 

“Not what?”

“As good as you think I am.” 

“Why would you think I’ll see that?” 

“Because I’m not always good Kara. I’m not always selfless, I’m not always strong. I make mistakes and I hurt people. I get scared and I push people away. You look at me and see this person who you have built up so tall that it’s only a matter of time before I disappoint you.” 

“Lena. I haven’t put you on a pedestal that you don’t deserve. I know you make mistakes, but you also make amends. We are both working on trying to be better when it comes to communicating but Lena, you don’t see how much you have changed from the woman I first met. I loved you as a friend long before I realized I loved you as a partner, and through our friendship I saw the sides of you that lead me to this love. I saw you try every day to make the world a better place when you didn’t have to. I saw you be hurt again and again but you never let it make you cold. You could have turned your back so many times on this city but you chose not to. You proved to everyone that you were more than your last name. You allowed them to see you as I do, that strength is what I fell in love with. I love you Lena, even when you’re being difficult I love you. I love you when we wake up in the mornings and when I go to sleep at night. I love you when you forget your notes and send me pouty face selfies asking me to grab them for you. I love you when you keep me on my toes. I love you Lena. You.” 

Kara brushes the tears from below Lena’s eyes. She watches as the words settle into her and she emboldens herself with the reassurances falling from Kara’s lips. Kara brings their foreheads together and just exists. She doesn’t ask for Lena to return her words, it’s enough just to be near her. They are there for each other when they stumble because being together is so much more than just sharing the good moments. It’s digging deep and facing the unpleasant emotions too. She wants it all with Lena. She wants them to get to know every part of each other. She wants to continue to learn about her and show her who she sees. She wants to spend 50 years together and still discover stories she has never heard. 

“I want to take you to the fortress someday.” 

Lena looks at her, eyes wide and waiting. 

“I want you to know my past because I think you are my future.” 

Lena blushes and chuckles at one of Kara’s more cheesy lines. Kara meaning every word she just said, but also trying to make Lena laugh. 

“I would love to go to the fortress with you.” 

“Really?” 

“Of course. Whenever you want.” Lena tucks herself closer to Kara, their knees touching and her arms cradled between their bodies, both on the edge of their chairs in an effort to be as close as possible. “Not tonight.” 

Kara’s laugh surprises her as she pulls back a little to look at the small smirk on Lena’s face. She leans forward and kisses her once before moving back to her spot, keeping their hands linked. 

“No not tonight.” 

They catch up on their days as they eat seafood linguini and melt in your mouth garlic bread. Once the wine glasses have been refilled and Kara has finished the leftovers, shooting an almost embarrassed look towards Lena as she tries not to shovel the pasta into her mouth, they make their way toward the control panel. Kara zips off to grab a blanket and a couple pillows, laying them down and helping Lena to sit before pressing the button to open the roof. She lays besides Lena, wrapping an arm around her as she lays her head on Kara’s chest and they both look to the sky. 

Lena shows her the constellations that her and Lex looked at again, tracking them across the sky from their last date so many months before. Kara listens to her get more and more excited. Watches her light up and become animated the more in depth she gets into her stories. She loves this side of Lena, the uninhibited passion that comes out so rarely. 

This is the Lena she wants the rest of the world to see, but also appreciates that she is the only one who gets to witness it. She is blessed to be given this gift. One that she hopes never to take advantage of. 

Lena blushes when she notices Kara staring at her, ducking her head into the crook of Kara neck and hiding for a moment. 

“I’m sorry,” she mumbles against Kara’s skin, “I didn’t mean to go on and on.” 

“I wish you would. I could listen to you talk about the stars for the rest of my life.” She kisses above Lena’s ear and waits for Lena to come out of her burrow. 

Lena looks at her and Kara gets lost in the greens of her eyes. The forest depths that reach back into the birth of nature itself. 

“Dance with me?” 

“There’s no music,” Lena says even as she lets herself be pulled up and into Kara’s arms. 

“We don’t need music,” Kara days, kissing Lena on the forehead and pulling to her to her chest. 

They start swaying back and forth, Lena laying her head where it had been when they were looking at the stars and Kara resting hers on top of Lena’s. 

They spin and dip, laugh as Kara pulls faces when she tries to work in the moves Alex teased her for from watching old musicals. When they come together they sway back and forth before Kara wraps Lena tighter and floats them into the air. Lena gasps a little, wrapping her arms more securely around Kara’s neck. Kara starts spinning them around slowly as the stars twinkle in the background.  
_________________________________________

The next day Kara’s head is securely still in the clouds while Alex gives a debriefing at the DEO. She tries to pay attention for all of five minutes but then finds her time much better spent remembering Lena’s eyes reflecting starlight. 

She’s hit with a bagel and reflexively catches it after it bounces off her face. 

“If we could get Supergirl to pay attention I’ll be happy to continue,” Alex says hostility leaking into her voice. 

Kara takes a bite of the bagel and motions for Alex to go on. She listens while Alex outlines the alien activity that they have responded to this past week but when Winn starts with the statistical analysis and graphs she can’t help but phase out again. She stares at her sister who is doing her best to look like she is paying attention but even she is having a hard time faking it and calls for Winn to wrap it up and ends the meeting. 

She hustles away, Kara quickly chasing after her. 

“So what’s going on?” 

“You would know if you were actually paying attention instead of reliving whatever dreamy thing Lena said last night.” 

Kara pulls up short at the attack, shock radiating through her body. 

“Kar, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that.” Alex comes toward her but stops. Her shoulders slump and she deflates, the mantle she had been holding up even moments ago tossed aside. 

“It’s okay.” 

“No it’s not. It’s not okay for me to take out my frustrations on you.”

“Well I mean I was thinking about Lena…” 

“Kar, you’re literally always thinking about Lena,” Alex says rolling her eyes but smiling to show she means no harm. 

“Not always!” Kara protests, smile mirroring the small one still tugging at Alex’s lips. 

Alex rolls her eyes again and turns toward the sparring room. She motions over her shoulder for Kara to follow. When they enter the room Kara watches her head over to the hanging bag and go at it. All the levity of the previous moment forgotten. Her punches get looser in form but the force of them doesn’t falter. 

“Alex,” she calls. “Alex!” Still no response. “ALEX!” It’s not until she picks her up and blocks her from breaking her fist against Kara’s shoulder that Alex stops. 

“What is wrong with you right now? Is it Sam? Talk to me!” Kara’s voice is quickly vacillating between worry and fear but she can hear a little irritation sneak in as well. 

Alex slouches down to the ground and doesn’t resist when Kara sits next to her. 

“Sam asked me to move in with her.” Alex blows a breath harshly and doesn’t look away from the door frame across the room. 

“And you’re angry?”

“We were taking things slow! That was the plan! This isn’t slow!” 

“Alex, it’s been 8 months since you two got together. Moving in together isn’t completely unthinkable.” 

“It is though! Kara, moving in with her isn’t the same as moving in with a normal girlfriend. She has a kid. She has a house. This isn’t a small decision.” 

“Do you love her?” 

“Of course I do,” Alex finally looks at her with the intensity radiating from the last statement. 

“And Ruby?” 

“Kara how can you ask me that?” 

“Because I’m your sister.” 

“Yes Kara I love Ruby. She’s the best kid in the world. She’s so smart, and she gives even me a run for my money in snark. For god's sake she left a PowerPoint complete with graphs and statistics worse than Winn’s about the satisfaction of being raised by two parents out on the kitchen table for Sam and I to find. And it had the benefits to both maturity levels and compassion that comes from being an older sister!” 

Kara barks out laughter not even trying to hold back the howl at Ruby’s antics. Alex waits, rolling her eyes and trying not to smile. 

“So she’s on board obviously. Is it Maggie?” 

Alex doesn’t look at her but her entire body stiffens at the mention of the name. 

“I know we don’t bring her up but Alex… this kind of feels like it’s not really about Sam.” 

“What if Sam changes her mind? I was so happy Kar. We were so happy. And then it all changed. That one little difference in what we wanted and it was done. I thought I had found the one person I was going to spend my life with and then she was gone.” 

“It wasn’t a little thing Alex. You’ve wanted to be a mother for your whole life. And you were happy. Maggie was great but you can’t sacrifice on something like that. It would have left one of you unbearably unhappy and would have broken you guys up anyways. But that doesn’t mean it’s the same with Sam. I don’t know if you guys have talked about this but if she’s asking you to move in I assume so.” 

“We have. She isn’t opposed to the idea of having more kids, she’s even mentioned how much she loved being pregnant but she already has Ruby. Ow!”

Alex glares daggers at her as she rubs her forehead where Kara flicked her. 

“Don’t be a dumb butt. You two having another child isn’t going to change how either of you feel about Ruby. Loving someone else doesn’t mean that the love you have for the people in your life shrinks. You know this. Why are you trying to sabotage yourself?” 

“I don’t know! I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to just let myself be happy!” 

“You just do it Alex,” Kara gentles her voice and looks at her sister. Her protector. The person who has always been there when she is struggling. Kara tries to channel the yoda mindset she has gotten from Alex in the past. “Relationships are hard, they are scary, letting yourself be so vulnerable and out of control. But when you find the right person you don’t have to face those fears alone. You have someone with you to talk about them. Talk to Sam.” 

“How did you get so smart huh?” 

“Eliza,” Kara says cheekily. Alex pokes her in the side until she laughs and holds up her hands in surrender. 

“I learned it from you,” Kara says as she feels Alex lay her head on her shoulder. She pulls her in for a one armed side hug feeling Alex laugh a little wetly against her. 

“Yeah, I guess if I was the one giving the advice I should probably take it.” 

“Well duh. But considering how stubborn you are maybe I should do it for you.” 

Alex jostles them both before getting up and pulling Kara to her feet. She ruffles Kara’s hair and blocks a jab Kara half heartedly tosses at her. 

“So you’re good?” 

“Yeah goober I’m good. Thanks.” 

“Awesome. So guess what Lena said last night when she was doing the crinkle thing with her nose…”  
__________________________________________

Kara is hunched over her laptop on the couch of Lena’s office later that night. They are both finishing the last of their days work: an article rewrite for Kara and a speech Lena was set to deliver for a carefully selected group of CEOs interested in helping fund the housing project later that week. 

Kara’s phone rings and she ignores it until she feels the pointed stare of Lena’s eyes reaching her. She pulls her head out of the red pen markings that Snapper decorated her article with and looks at her phone. 

[Alex] [Talked to Sam. Keep your calendar open in about a week because I’m not moving all my stuff by myself! Thanks Kar. Red heart emoji] 

Kara smiles and walks the phone over so Lena can stop craning her neck to read the text. 

“I see you talked to Alex about the freak out?” 

“How did you know?” 

“Because I gave Sam a probably similar off the ledge speech when she came breezing in earlier today.” 

Kara laughs and sits on top of Lena’s desk, pushing her papers to the side and wiggling into her spot. At this level she is looking down at Lena at a more serious height difference than normal and enjoys the way Lena’s neck elegantly stretches to accommodate. 

“Look at us, we must be pretty good at this if they’re coming to us with their problems,” Kara plays with Lena’s fingers trying not to let the feeling distract her too much. Lena’s skin is so soft, she finds the times when she’s not touching some small part of her are moments wasted. 

“I think we are doing quite well Darling.” 

“We could be doing well at my apartment if you are finished with your work for the day,” Kara says hopefully. 

“I could be persuaded to be done I suppose.” 

Kara kisses persuasion first into Lena’s lips, then her cheeks paying special attention to the little dimple that makes an appearance. She travels the length of her nose, and gently brushes her eyelids with soft kisses. She moves around to the side of Lena’s head and kisses the shell of her ear as Lena giggles. She finishes on her forehead, placing one last kiss in the same spot she loves so much. 

“How’s that for persuasion?” 

“I might need a little bit more,” Lena says eyes still closed and smiling. 

“I’ll give you all the bit more you want,” she pulls Lena up and helps gather her stuff, “once we get home.” 

Lena takes her bag from Kara’s arms and waits for her to put her laptop in her own bag. She grabs her hand and laces their fingers together. 

“Let’s go home.”  
__________________________________________

Kara helps Alex move a week later, to the delight of the two woman and one teenager watching their progress from the couch. 

“Are you sure you don’t want any help,” Lena calls while picking up her glass of wine and not rising an inch from the couch. 

“Nope,” Kara says speeding by with a box up the stairs, “we’ve got it.” She brushes a hand to push back Lena’s loose and wavy hair and kiss her forehead before speeding off for the next load. 

“Speak for yourself, some of us don’t have superpowers,” Alex hollers on her way down the stairs at a much more human pace. She stops to take off her sweat soaked shirt and rubs her face and neck with it. 

“Well I’ve never appreciated my own powers as much as right now,” Sam all but purrs, eyes zeroed in on Alex’s arms that have come into full view in the tank top she’s wearing. 

“Gross mom. There are children present!” Ruby grumbles as she shoves off the couch and tries to hip check her mom, Sam’s reflexes even while distracted keeping her from connecting. 

“Yeah Sam, stop ogling your girlfriend,” Lena chuckles. 

“Don’t pretend like you haven’t been salivating at Kara this past hour Lena Luthor. I may not be able to read minds but I consider that a blessing right now.” 

Kara pauses with the boxes in her arms to flex a little and sputters out a laugh when Lena inhales a mouthful of wine. Sam smacks her on the back and gets up to help the sisters with the last of the boxes. 

Kara tosses her own boxes down upstairs in the bedroom and rushes back to Lena, still coughing and shooting daggers at Sam’s retreating back. 

“Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine Kara. Just had some wine try to go down the wrong pipe is all.” She rests her weight into Kara’s side as she sits down next to Lena and rubs her back where Sam had “helped.” 

“Something distract you from your indulgence?”

Lena blushes again, Kara loving the color that floods her girlfriend’s cheeks as she places a kiss to the dimple. 

“As if you didn’t hear.” 

“I did. But it doesn’t mean I don’t like hearing it from your mouth instead of Sam’s.” 

“I think I have made my enjoyment of your muscles quite apparent,” Lena says, eyebrow raised and now it’s Kara’s turn to blush. 

“There’s no escaping you all!” Ruby shouts from the kitchen. 

“You’re stuck with us Rubes, better get used to it!” Kara calls back. 

Lena smiles and closes her eyes to Kara gently playing with her hair. 

“I love your hair when you leave it down like this, it’s so soft.” 

“Well considering it’s your fault I couldn’t dry it when I got out of the shower I’m glad you are enjoying it.” 

“OH MY GOD! Don’t any of you care that I am young and impressionable??” 

Kara and Lena laugh, Sam and Alex looking confusedly between the couple on the couch and the teenager mumbling grumpily from the kitchen. 

“I don’t want to know,” Alex decides as the two move the last couple boxes into the living room and deposit them with a huff, falling onto the couch and partially landing on Kara who squawks indignantly. 

“Shove over Kar, this is my couch now too and you’re taking up the whole damn thing!” Alex huffs as she wiggles around on top of her sister. 

“I think we should leave this mess for them to deal with and enjoy the rest of our weekend alone,” Lena whispers into Kara’s ear. Kara sees Sam nod her agreement from the corner of her eye and it’s decided. 

They all do the hugging thing, even corralling a still perturbed Ruby into a sandwich between them before calling goodbye. 

“Any idea what you would like to do now that you’ve been used so effectively as a pack mule?” 

“Yeah, but you’ll need a jacket.” 

“I was thinking less clothes instead of more Darling, what do you have in mind?” 

“Do you want to go to the fortress with me?” 

Lena stops the swinging of their arms and turns to Kara on the sidewalk. She searches Kara’s face for any signs of discomfort and Kara tries to not let her face pinch at the idea she has put forth. She wants to bring Lena to her most Kryptonian place on Earth, though the idea of opening the box does have her a little anxious. Lena smiles at her and squeezes their connected hands, a smile gracing Kara’s face in return. 

“I would love to if this is what you really want.” 

“I do,” Kara assures her. 

“Then let me grab something to bundle up in and we can go.” 

It takes her an hour usually to fly to the fortress, a little longer with precious cargo in her arms looking far too adorable in her puffy jacket. They reach the outside of the structure and Lena waits for Kara to allow the biometrics to open the door. Kalex doesn’t greet her though Kara still expects him to and instead they are faced with the giant towers of ice that make up this part of her home on Earth. Lena shivers a little as she lets Kara lead her to the computer system that starts up at Kara’s voice. 

“I don’t know how much you want to know but I wanted to show you a little bit of where I came from.” 

“I want to know whatever you would like to show me love.” 

“I know your mind Lena Luthor, you can ask me whatever questions I’m sure are spinning in that head of yours and I’ll try to answer,” Kara tells her with a soft kiss to her forehead, the screen coming to life in front of her and awaiting her command. 

“That could make for a very long day.” 

“Those are my favorite kind with you.” 

“Okay charmer, show me your world.” 

Kara laughs and pulls Lena into a hug, “I knew showing you Disney movies would be a good idea!” 

Kara shows Lena how to go through the files and watches her puruse the vast stores of knowledge that are the entirety of her lost culture. There are many things here that even Kara doesn’t know about, the thought daunting but not as much as facing them without Lena here. Lena is fascinated by their matrix system of finding mates and gets comfortable in Kara’s arms, sitting on her lap as to not get cold, while Kara begins to explain compatibility to her. 

Kara tells her about matches lining up for the best possible mates. She tells her about how babies are created with the genetic material best suited for them going into different guilds depending on where they are needed. She answers questions about the science guild, though has to refer to the screens a few times having not actually entered the guild herself yet. She shows her the buildings and paints in the details that the blueprints don’t contain. She describes the red light of Rao shining down on her home and the different creatures they had on Krypton. She tells Lena about their justice system and her mother’s role in it. About her father’s engineering and all that he had created. She tells her about her aunt Astra and the stories she used to share with her at night to help get her to go to sleep. 

She gets choked with emotion as Lena’s questions turn away from the broad strokes and instead begin to be more about the people. Kara reassures her when she tries to apologize and begins to tell her about her parents as her mom and dad instead of leaders of Krypton. She cries and lets Lena comfort her when she can’t speak anymore words. 

“Do you think they would have liked me?” It’s quiet, the insecurity in Lena’s voice laid bare at this the most raw of questions. 

“They would have loved you. Your mind, your heart, your courage, the matrix couldn’t have picked a better match than you Lena. They would have seen that the first time they talked to you.” 

Lena burrows a little closer into Kara and they both stare at the screens. It’s rudimentary words in Kryptonian, broken down into English phonetics from earlier when Lena had expressed interest in learning her language. 

“I wish I could meet them.” 

Kara turns her face around so they are staring into each other’s eyes. They are both full to the brim with emotion as they look at each other. These are the eyes she wants to see every day for the rest of her life. 

“I do too, I wish they could meet you too.” 

Lena leans forward and waits for Kara to meet her in the middle. Their kiss tastes like salt from their shared tears and their lips are chapped from the cold but it’s perfect just as it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so this story is winding down. I have mixed feelings about it but it’s time. I’ve got most of the next chapter written and after that comes the epilogue. I know that I haven’t really hit much on the mind reading which was kind of the basis for this story but fear not it will be featured next chapter. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this one shot that I couldn’t leave alone so it turned into this. 
> 
> And as always thank you to SpicyCheese who reminds me that punctuation and line breaks are a thing. You are truly the best. 
> 
> I’m nataliawhite92 on tumblr. Come say hey :)


	9. When the Whole World Fits Inside of Your Arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving with Eliza, Kara’s dampener getting damaged, and Lena and Kara making some big decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Changed the rating because all of a sudden smut snuck its way in ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

The weather takes a turn from the warmth of summer to the cool crispness that accompanies the fading colors of the leaves on the trees. Kara makes it her mission to include Lena in everything she worries the Luthor heiress missed out on as a child. They go apple picking with Alex, Sam, and Ruby one weekend in September after convincing Lena “how is this any different than going to the local farmer’s market?” that it is an experience she needs in her life. 

“Lena the cider!” Kara pleads, willing to pull the puppy dog pout if it helps Lena get through her list of doubts as to the purpose of spending their precious free time on a farm quicker. 

“Yes Kara, you have in fact mentioned the cider 14 times over the past week. I swear Darling, if this is not the best thing my taste buds have ever encountered I am going to be quite disappointed after all this build up,” Lena smirks, continuing to play with Kara’s fingers as the blonde drives them toward the orchard. Sam, Alex, and Ruby have taken a separate car because they might leave earlier. Alex had been drug to this very orchard countless times since Eliza had first brought the sisters and her tolerance was much lower than Kara’s. 

“And the nostalgia Lena. They give us a basket and we get to wander the rows of trees picking out the best apples we can find. They have ladders that rest on the trunks and you actually get to climb up and see which ones are perfect. And they encourage snacking Lena! Snacking!” Kara is grateful for her ability to focus on driving while telling Lena (again) all the exciting moments that await them. Also Lena drawing patterns on the back of her hand in the barely there touch is far too distracting to not rely heavily on her alien reflexes. She worries if she was human she would have driven into a ditch far before they made it an hour into their journey. 

“Oh you didn’t mention the snacking. I’m sold,” Lena deadpans but Kara catches her smiling out of the corner of her eye and knows Lena is more excited to do something so normal than she is letting on. 

“Yes, snacking. It’s the best. And when we are done they have an actual carriage with a horse that we can take a tour of the full property with. They give you the mugs of cider, and really Lena it is the best cider I’ve ever had on this entire planet, it warms you up from the first sip and you just get to drink it and look at how beautiful everything is. It’s one of my favorite places.” 

“Haven’t you been there at least once a year since you were 15? You still want to take a carriage ride even though you’ve seen it almost a dozen times now?” Lena’s tone is honestly curious but Kara finds herself rolling her eyes at the question, because of course she wants to see it every year. It’s never the same!

“I haven’t seen it with you,” Kara says softly as she pulls Lena’s hand to her lips for a gentle kiss.

She watches Lena blush at her words and doesn’t stop the smile from taking over her face. She loves the little moments she is witness to with Lena. Catching her eye across a room and watching her face soften when Kara smiles at her. The brush of casual touch when they are at the DEO or at home. The way that her heart still races right before Kara bridges the last inches when kissing her. She could be with her a million years and it would never be enough. They still affect each other in such a way that Kara can’t ever get used to. Kara herself nowhere near immune to Lena’s proximity either. One word from those dark red lips has her brain fritzing. But nothing compares to waking up in the morning with Lena in her arms. Watching the dreams play across her face as she tries to hold onto those last minutes of sleep. The grumble of her finally admitting defeat and pulling Kara close, still unwilling to open her eyes. How she starts most mornings burying her face in the crook of Kara’s neck and asking for just three more minutes. The softness of her body when she is fully asleep but twined as close to Kara as she can possibly get, stealing the extra warmth she radiates, warmth that Kara would willingly give. She is so in love with this goddess beside her and getting to share new experiences with her has become a new favorite way to spend whatever little time they have off work. 

“Kara…” Lena grumbles even while leaning into her side as Kara’s driving, “we are about to get there and now I’m bright red.” 

“Red has always looked good on you,” Kara tries though the laugh she is desperately attempting to keep from her voice is audible even to her. 

“On my lips maybe, but it’s much less attractive on the rest of my face.” 

“For someone who complains about color where it’s not supposed to be you sure do enjoy pressing those lips to every part of my skin you can get ahold of,” Kara jokes, remembering a particular morning last week when she had woken up to use the restroom only to be met with dozens of lipstick marks from her chest all the way down to her calves. 

“Your body is a work of art, I can’t help but wanting to decorate it,” the low hum of her voice making Kara squirm in her seat.

“Lena…” Kara tries to warn, even as she realizes that going toe to toe with a Luthor is never going to be a fight she will win. She has learned time and time again that provoking Lena only lead to her own undoing. In the most random of places and ways. 

“We have more than enough time before they are supposed to join us. For once your over excited need to leave the house so early could work in our favor,” she lets the proposal drip down Kara’s spine, each word egging her closer and closer to pulling over before they reach the sign announcing their destination at the base of the winding dirt road. Kara has already slowed the car to barely a crawl, her ability to maneuver getting less and less steady the more Lena speaks. 

“But if we don’t sign up early we might not get to the carriage ride,” Kara’s voice is getting higher each syllable she squeezes through her clenched jaw as Lena’s wandering fingers continue to dance up her arm, the touch sending shocks through Kara’s body and goosepimples to her extremities. 

“I rented out the entire orchard for us,” Lena is all but stroking her ear with her tongue, having moved even closer without Kara noticing and when she gets her wits back she is going to give her a sternly worded lecture about not wearing her seatbelt but right now she barely holds back the groan at the wet heat. 

She pulls off the road in a move that would have been much more dramatic had they been going more than five miles an hour at that point. Her breaking point being Lena needlessly throwing her wealth around in a way that apparently sent Kara revving. She throws the car in park but leaves the keys in the ignition as a particularly good song by Jack Johnson comes on. 

Before she’s even done unbuckling her seatbelt Lena has reached beneath her seat and hit the adjustment lever so she flies back as far as the seat allows. Her breath is somewhere in front of her and when Lena climbs into her lap, one leg on the outside of both of hers, she can’t even try for a new one. Lena attacks her with a vigor that doesn’t often enter their intimate moments. It’s rare for them to come together so fiercely, most of the time it’s soft touches and softer words. It’s whispered proclamations of love and lingering lips on exposed skin. It’s begging and teasing and watching each other fall apart. It’s Kara helping Lena come down and stroking that last bit of pleasure from her orgasm. It’s cuddles after as they both bask in the glow. This is not that. 

Lena is licking and biting and clawing at Kara’s shirt. Her hands are everywhere and Kara is sure she may have grown another sometime in the last hour because she can feel Lena everywhere. She is gasping as Lena tries fruitlessly to suck marks into her skin. Kara’s groans fill the car and she would be embarrassed if she wasn’t so insanely turned on right now. She pulls Lena closer, hands resting just above the pockets of Lena’s pants and when her hips cant toward Kara’s at the kneading of her fingers she almost lifts them both clear off the seat in an effort to return to contact. 

As Lena’s mouth continues to attack Kara’s neck and collar bone her hands have successfully freed the buttons of Kara’s shirt and are pulling down the top of the tank top she had thrown on underneath. Kara thrusts her chest toward Lena, desperate for her mouth to touch her there, to take her breasts, to feel her tongue swirl around her nipples before she bites them just hard enough for Kara to almost feel the pain. Lena’s own moan mixes with Kara’s when she realizes Kara had foregone a bra this morning and she pulls back enough to smash their mouths together. Lena’s tongue forces its way into Kara’s mouth and Kara can no longer tell which sounds are coming from her and which are from Lena. 

She runs her hands up Lena’s back from where her blouse pulled out of her pants and the softness of Lena’s heated skin has her pulling her impossibly closer. She continues to move up her back, but when she gets to almost unclasping her bra Lena bites down on her bottom lip hard. She pulls back to look at the woman in her lap, face pulling in confusion, and is met with a particularly debauched Lena Luthor. Her pupils are blown, her breathing frantic as she tries to pull air into her lungs, her lipstick smeared across her face in a way that has Kara’s own heart racing. 

“It’s my turn Darling, behave and it might be yours later,” Lena purrs against her lips before kissing her hard one more time and moving down her chest again. Kara resists the whine that is bubbling up in her throat and when Lena’s tongue swirls around her nipple she almost chokes on it. 

She feels Lena laugh into her breast as she continues her torturously slow approach, Kara’s head thrown back and her hands fisting as hard as is safe in the flesh of Lena’s hips. When Lena finally takes her nipple into her mouth she almost shouts, she’s so sensitive that the pull of said mouth almost undoes her right there. Lena pinches her other nipple and finally trades places, the saliva drying in the cold air and making Kara’s hips jolt once more. Lena’s center has been grinding into her, the brushing touches to her own not nearly enough but she knows that patience is the game being played so she allows Lena to set the pace. 

She’s rewarded with the venturing of the hand not currently on her chest finally starting to move down from where Lena’s mouth is still attached, tracing her jumping abs before reaching the top of her jeans. She plays just below the band, dipping below and running her fingertips along the soft skin before finally popping the snap and pulling down the zipper. The sound is like shattering glass for Kara, and she tries to keep breathing as Lena’s hand pushes into her pants and cups her. Her hips slam into the hand, just barely remembering to be gentle, it’s in these times that she has the hardest time remembering and she chants the mantra in her head to slow herself down. Lena plays with the sodden spot on her boxer briefs, just pushing against her enough to almost dip in but then pulling back. She avoids Kara’s clit, instead circling it until Kara can’t take it anymore.

“Lena… please,” she begs, too desperate to care that this is what Lena has been waiting for the whole time. 

The pop of Lena’s mouth releasing her nipple is earth shattering as Kara forces her eyes open to meet the smirk she knows is on Lena’s face. 

“Of course Darling, all you had to do is ask,” Lena quips but before Kara can say anything in comeback Lena has pushes her underwear to the side and enters her fast with two fingers, bottoming out on the first stroke. 

Kara throws her head back and hears the headrest of the seat break apart behind her but she couldn’t care less. Lena lets her adjust for a moment before slowly pulling out only to find a rhythm quickly as she adds a third finger. Kara can feel how wet she is, dripping and has no problem accepting the added digit, the stretch of Lena’s fingers has her groaning as pushing to meet her. 

“So wet for me Kara, I love how easily you take my fingers,” Lena’s voice is deeper than normal and Kara gets another jolt as her words are accompanied by the swipe of her thumb on Kara’s clit. She can feel herself already start to clench around Lena’s fingers and wills herself not to come quickly, though she doubts she can hold off much longer. She’s been so close even before Lena finally entered her. 

“I feel you around my fingers Kara, I feel how close you are,” Lena purrs. Kara can’t think, she can’t last. She’s so close. 

“Come for me Darling,” and she does with Lena’s gentle command and another swipe of her thumb. Her back arches and Lena continues thrusting in and out of her and rubbing soft circles as Kara’s body tenses up for longer than she can even think about, her mind exploding into bright light. 

When she finally starts to come back down she hears Lena, no longer commanding, but whispering a stream of compliments Kara is still having a hard time understanding. Her body relaxes and with one last swipe Lena starts to pull out, knowing how sensitive Kara is after such a large orgasm. Kara is boneless, laying back in the seat she doesn’t even remember being adjusted from the upright position as she watches Lena clean her fingers, slurping and humming and Kara’s breath catches as she almost starts up again. Lena finishes, blushing beautifully at Kara catching her enjoying herself so immensely, eyes closed and other hand drifting toward her own center, and moves to kiss Kara. 

Kara can taste herself on Lena’s lips and she sucks them greedily into her mouth, met with Lena’s laughter. Lena lays down on top of her still partially closed body, Kara feeling the soft silk of Lena’s blouse against her own nipples and the pebbles of Lena’s beneath her bra as she pulls her close and settles back into her body. 

“That was unexpected,” Kara says, feeling the scratchiness in her voice and thankful that the road they are on in all but abandoned because she can’t remember screaming but has a feeling she must have. 

“Unexpected in a good way?” Lena asks into the crook of her neck, nuzzling and placing soft kisses on Kara’s sweaty skin. 

“You really have to ask?” Kara laughs, twitching a little as Lena licks the top of her shoulder. 

“Just making sure,” Lena says with one more kiss before just letting herself be held in Kara’s arms. 

They lay together for a little while, Kara vowing to show Lena just how much she appreciated their stop when they get home, and she is able to lay her down fully in a bed. Completely naked. They are abruptly yanked from their cocoon by the blasting of a horn that has Kara almost punching a hole in the side of their car. Alex’s own car blows past them and Kara has just enough presence of mind to pull Lena closer in an effort to cover up her still exposed chest. 

She hears Alex start on a very explicit rant under her breath and laughs heartily until Lena joins in, Kara relaying the threats that are getting more and more imaginative the longer she goes. She hears Sam tell her to breathe and Ruby asking again and again what she missed after she pulls the headphones from her ears. 

“Guess that’s our cue huh?” Lena says, already getting up and moving back toward her seat. 

“We probably shouldn’t make Alex wait much longer…” Kara groans, adjusting her shirt and redoing her pants. She’s still uncomfortable and considers jumping in the small lake next to the orchard but decides to follow her own advice and get there quickly before Alex actually does start in on her threats. 

“Here we go then,” Lena smiles and laces their fingers together again as Kara throws them into drive and starts after Alex already not looking forward to the innuendoes and jokes they are sure to receive when they reach the orchard.  
__________________________________________

Kara and Lena spend Thanksgiving in Midvale, accompanied by Sam, Ruby, and Alex who finally gave in to Eliza’s guilt tripping and agreed to bring everyone down for the dinner. Lena had been freaking out about meeting Kara’s adopted mother for the better part of the past two weeks and Kara wasn’t exactly sure how to get across to her that she had nothing to worry about. 

“But this is a big deal right? I mean it’s huge when people bring their significant others to meet the parents. How has it gone for you in the past? What was Eliza like with other people you brought home?” Lena asks, pacing her office as Kara continues to eat potstickers on the couch, waiting for Lena to wind down a little having learned from past experiences when the topic comes up it’s better to let her freak out for a while before jumping in with reassurances. 

“I don’t know, I’ve never brought anyone home before,” Kara says and immediately knows it’s the exact wrong thing to say as Lena’s eyes widen comically large and she squeaks, actually squeaks, and Kara is not about to laugh at all because this is a serious moment. 

“You’ve never brought anyone home before and now you are going to walk in the front door of your childhood home with a Luthor for god’s sake! Kara how could you do this to me? How quickly do you think I can schedule a perfectly valid work trip? Maybe to China? That’s far enough right? I can’t meet her if I’m across the world!” Her voice continues to get higher and faster as she stops even waiting for responses from Kara and just continues her pacing. 

Kara gets up from the couch and puts herself directly in the path of the freaking out CEO. Lena bounces off of her, Kara cushioning herself to absorb the impact as to not break Lena in more ways than her previous sentence has seemed to and catching her on the rebound. 

“Lena, love of my life, gem of my treasure chest, pudding to my pop,” she knows the last one did it as Lena stops being able to form words when Kara’s truly atrocious nicknames hit her and she has to pause just to check if she heard it right. Kara smiles waiting for the moment and is not disappointed when Lena’s eyebrows pull together and she looks at Kara with something between a glare and a poorly held back smile on her face. Kara leans down to kiss the skin between those perfect brows. She feels Lena lean into her and take a deep breath, laying her head on Kara’s chest and smooshing further into the hug Kara has trapped her in. 

“I just want her to like me Kara,” Lena whispers after her heart rate has returned close to normal.

“I know, and I can’t tell you not to worry but I can tell you that I’m not worried at all.” Kara kisses her forehead and lays her head down on top of Lena’s, content to just hold her for as long as Lena needs. There’s nowhere else she would rather be. 

“Why?” 

“Because when I went to Midvale I told her I loved you, but even before I could say the words she knew. I don’t know how, it’s a mom thing, but she did. And she didn’t once question it. She already thinks of you as part of the family, and has been haranguing me to bring you down to meet her for months now.” 

“Really?” Kara can feel Lena blinking against her skin, trying to hold back the tears and she squeezes her tighter. 

“Really. I think Eliza is going to love you, and if you feel uncomfortable just push her toward Alex, that’s what I do.” 

Kara feels Lena chuckle against her, and the lone tear that falls warmly on her chest as Lena continues to take breaths. Kara rubs her hair, threading her fingers in and scratching at her scalp in the way she had learned Lena loves the most. 

“I’m sorry I’ve been freaking out,” Lena whispers when she pulls back enough to look up at Kara. Her eyes still swimming in fear and trepidation but Kara can also see the steal behind them of Lena having made up her mind that she can do this. 

“You never have to apologize for having feeling Lena. Family’s are scary, especially for someone who hasn’t ever known what a real one looks like.” Kara holds back the animosity she feels for the Luthors, having hurt Lena in such a deeply profound way she now doubts herself like this. It is not the time and she can’t do anything about the past. She can show her what family is supposed to be like though. She’s excited about Lena finally meeting Eliza, finally being ready. 

Lena had taken to Kara’s friends like a fish to water. First Alex, then Winn, then the rest of the gang but Eliza was the last big part of Kara’s life that Lena hadn’t encountered. She hadn’t lied to Lena when she said she wasn’t worried. Eliza was the personification of mother and Kara knew she would probably end up loving Lena like she loved all the strays Kara brought around. She had learned about bringing them in from her after all. 

Now they were on their way to Midvale, again in the car and not flying, but this time with Ruby in the backseat. Alex’s idea so they didn’t have another unplanned pit stop. Kara had thought about fighting it but Lena’s hand on her wrist had been enough for Kara to let it happen, and start planning on getting Alex back at dinner. Not that she didn’t love her pretty much niece at this point, it was more Alex and her non stop teasing for the past couple months since the apple orchard.

“So then Mom was like there’s no way we are devoting an entire room to your gun collection when it’s been my office for as long as we’ve had this house. And Alex was like whining and doing that thing where she tries to have conversations with just her eyes but she’s not good at it like you are Aunt Lena so it was just her making weird faces and mom said she looked constipated and then Alex was glaring and mom was laughing. And Alex said she would never let mom come to her gun show again and then they noticed I was recording them and I had to run so the end is a little shaky but if you really think I should show Eliza I totally can…” Ruby continues with her babbling in a way that even makes Kara’s head spin. Alex hadn’t been kidding when she said the kid was going to usurp her. How was she breathing? 

She looks at Lena, trying to convey her incredulousness at Ruby but Lena is already smiling at her watching her reactions. 

“Something you want to say?” 

“I never thought I would see the day that someone was even more enthusiastic about words than you love,” Lena says around a smile. 

“I was just thinking that actually. Though without the sarcasm. Alex warned me but she was definitely not painting a full picture.” 

“I wonder what our kids will be like?” 

Kara almost puts her foot through the floor of the car without even meaning to and about knocks her own teeth out pulling it up so quickly. She looks at Lena, who is smiling like the Cheshire Cat as she watches Kara’s theatrics, eyebrow raised and not saying anything as Kara’s entire mind tries to reboot itself. 

“You guys are having a baby?!?” Ruby squeals at inhuman decibels that shake Kara’s tongue loose. 

“What? No? Maybe? I don’t know! Lena!” 

Lena doesn’t say anything and continues to smile at Kara before turning to Ruby and asking to see the video like nothing world changing just happened in the front seat. She reaches over and runs the back of her fingers across Kara’s cheek whispering “Breathe love.” 

Kara takes an exaggerated couple of breaths and lets the joking of Lena and Ruby lull her back into normality, though there’s no way this isn’t going to be talked about later. Maybe not tonight because she doesn’t want to take over Thanksgiving but soon. Kids. She hasn’t even thought about it. Well not much. 

She sees Lena still smiling at her when she hazards a glance toward her and she feels herself melting into the curve of her lips. The happiness she feels radiating from her and yes they are definitely going to talk about this soon. 

By the time they arrive in Midvale they are relatively settled. Ruby having sped through about seven other topics in the hour that they had left of the drive. Kara now knew more about the politics of 8th grade than she ever needed to though Lena seemed to take it all in stride and responded almost rapid fire fast to Ruby’s stream of nonsense. 

Kara steps out of the car and lets the ocean breeze wash over her, finding the calm that being home always gave her. Eliza, having heard their car approaching, met them on the porch in her apron, arms open and waiting for Kara to rush into them. 

Kara holds her mom for a little longer than she normally would, squeezing in one more moment of relaxation before the insanity of the evening begins. When she pulls away Eliza holds her face between her hands for a moments before Kara moves out of the way and holds out her hand for Lena who has been waiting behind them. Kara has heard her nervous shuffling as the moment between her and her adopted mother extended and she feels her anxiety as she grips Kara’s hand tightly. 

“Eliza, this is Lena,” she hears how she cradles the name in her mouth and smiles as Eliza catches her eye noticing as well. 

“Lena, I am so happy to finally meet you,” she says as she pulls Lena into her arms loosely, leaving the option up to her if she wants to return the hug or pull away. 

Lena is a little stiff at first but soon the warmth that emanates from Eliza’s very being relaxes her and Kara sees her mold herself into the hug as she herself had just done. 

Eliza is whispering into Lena’s ear and Kara turns away to give them privacy as Eliza assures Lena that this is a safe space and she wants her to feel comfortable in her home. Kara hears Lena’s shaky breath before she steps back and picks at the fall of her dress, taking a moment to collect herself. 

Eliza smiles once more at her and then turns to Ruby who has been waiting as patiently as any teenager can for her turn to be introduced to the matriarch of the family. 

“And you must be Ruby, Alex has told me countless stories about you,” Eliza says as she pulls Ruby in for a much quicker hug. 

“Well I have some stories about her too if you want to hear them.” Ruby tries to wiggle her eyebrows but manages to instead alternate between looking surprised and frowning which makes all the adults laugh, the last of the tension draining away from them. 

Eliza leads Ruby into the house, already nodding along to Ruby’s newly started ramble now that she had a fresh audience. Lena stops as Kara holds her place and pulls Lena back toward her by the hands they are still holding. 

“Did you hear what she was saying?” Lena asks not meeting Kara’s eyes completely. 

“I did. I’m sorry, hazard of the job,” Kara blushes as she tries to look contrite. 

“It’s fine Darling, she was very kind to say those things to me.” 

“She means them you know?” Kara gently assures her as Lena turns fully toward her and rests their foreheads together. 

“I know. I’m just not used to...all of this.” Lena’s hand makes a sort of all encompassing twitch indicating the house and those in it. 

“I know, but it’s your home too now,” Kara speaks into the space between them, feeling Lena’s quick exhale on her lips. 

“Don’t you start Kara Danvers. I am determined to make it through one family dinner without crying,” Lena reprimands with no real force behind it. Smiling to let Kara know she’s joking, kind of. 

Kara brings their lips gently together and kisses her reassurances into Lena’s mouth. Lena returns her kiss, but pulls back as she hears Alex and Sam arrive. 

“Again?!? Really?!?” Alex shouts exiting the car and brushing past the two who have been pulled from their moments. 

“Please tell me you at least you didn’t corrupt my child,” Sam says as she too makes her way into the house. 

“Har har,” Kara deadpans before turning back to Lena who is trying to hide her blush. 

“Ready?” She asks, watching Lena straighten herself to full height, emotions crossing her face before landing on a smile that looks just a hair shy of relaxed. 

“We probably should go in before they start filling Eliza’s heads with all their nonsense.” 

Kara laughs as she lets herself be lead into her home, hearing Alex’s groan as Eliza introduces herself to Sam. 

Dinner is made with the assistance of everyone, except Kara who has been banned from the kitchen until the turkey needs to be finished, her one party trick. She pops in every so often, mostly to steal snacks under the disapproving glare of everyone except Sam who tries to sneak her little pieces before Alex catches her. 

By the time they all sit down to eat the table is almost concave under the weight of all the food that had been prepared. Kara does her thing, and the house is filled with the smell of roasted turkey that mixes with everything else they had made until everyone is anxiously waiting for their turn to fill their plates. 

“Before we eat,” Eliza starts to the groan of Alex and the wiggling excitement of Kara, both girls knowing what’s coming, “we have a tradition in this house of going around the table and saying what we are grateful for. I’ll begin, I am grateful for my girls being here with their lovely families that have in turn made my own continue to grow.” Eliza finishes and turns to Alex on her right waiting patiently for Alex to raise her own glass and contribute. 

“I’m grateful for well working SWAT gear, my motorcycle, and the wine in my glass,” she says with a smug look met with the unimpressed glare of Sam, Eliza, and Kara. She laughs before softening as she meets Sam’s eye. 

“I am grateful for Sam and Ruby who have welcomed me into their home and life, for my sister for finally womaning up and not just drooling after Lena like a lovesick fool so I didn’t have to keep listening to her, and for Lena for loving her because she is an angel and probably didn’t know what she was getting into.”

Kara rolls her eyes and kisses Lena’s hand as everyone else laughs at Alex’s semi serious toast. 

Everyone else takes their turns, Ruby claiming she’s grateful for good headphones and someone else to take her side against her mom, Sam pinches Ruby’s cheeks as she declares herself grateful for her daughter and the new family she has gained by bringing Alex into their lives. 

Lena goes next and Kara watches her gulp before looking around the table and raising her glass. 

“I am grateful to be surrounded by people who are willing to give me a chance beyond just the assumptions that come from having the last name I do. I’m grateful to have people who make me take breaks while also supporting me in my work and efforts. I’m grateful for this lovely meal and the company I am sharing it with.” Kara continues to stare dopily at her girlfriend, so elegant in speaking and beautiful in her relaxed state that she has fallen into as the day progressed, until Alex kicks her under the table and she almost face plants into the mashed potatoes as everyone laughs. 

“Let’s go star gazer, some of us are hungry,” Alex teases as Sam runs her hand down Alex’s arm in a shushing gesture. 

“I am grateful for my family, the ones who took me in and eventually stopped trying to send me back to space,” she says glaring at Alex who feigns innocence at Eliza’s reproachful look, “I am grateful for a fulfilling job, or jobs, that make me proud of being myself and the work I am doing. I am grateful for Sam and Ruby for giving Alex a place to live with love and acceptance that she didn’t even know she needed. And I am so grateful for you Lena,” she says turning to her girlfriend who is following her every word, “You have changed my life so much Lena Luthor by allowing me into your life, and your heart. I could never have imagined you ever returned my feelings, or that I would be lucky enough to share this past almost year with you. I love you, thank you for loving me too.” 

When Kara finishes her speech she is met with silence around the table but she only has eyes for Lena. Lena who is clenching her jaw so tight Kara worries she has embarrassed her and just as she’s about to start apologizing Lena pulls her into a kiss and Kara smiles as she returns it with probably a little more fervor than particularly appropriate in front of her mother but she was caught off guard by Lena’s reaction. 

“Ahem!” Alex yells, breaking the two apart with giggles and mooney eyes as they apologize. 

They all dig in, not talking much beyond compliments to the chefs until they had their fill. Kara and Sam continued eating far past when the others had tapped out, encouraged by Eliza to have their fill though Kara didn’t need to be told this it being more for Sam’s benefit. When even the Kryptonians had finished all they could they all leaned back in their chairs, smiling but full to bursting. 

Eliza was shuffled into the living room with a refill and Ruby to keep her company as the two couples tackle the cleanup. Sam and Kara lose the fight for using super speed, helped greatly by Eliza’s insistence that she really loved the particular serving plates and dishes she had put out for them to eat from, and they all take their places in the assembly line of bringing dishes to the sink and boxing up leftovers. Alex and Kara get delegates to washing and drying as Lena and Sam finish forcing leftovers into the fridge and then go to join Eliza and Ruby in the kitchen. 

“That was particularly sappy even for you Kar,” Alex says jostling Kara’s shoulder with her own. 

“Yeah and yours wasn’t chock full of touchy feels,” Kara fires back as she splashes some of the soapy water at her sister. 

Alex retaliates by whipping her over the head repeatedly even though Kara can’t actually feel the sting of the snap she is annoyed enough by the towel that she freeze breaths onto it until Alex yells and drops it on the floor, the shattering sound loud enough to be heard in the other room and the sisters look hesitantly toward the doorway. 

“They are always like this,” Eliza tells her guests laughing, “I find it better for my own sanity to let them go at it and not try to corral the impossible.” 

Kara can almost feel the way Sam and Lena look at each other at the same time her and Alex do. Though she doubts their look involves the instantaneous silent argument over whose fault this is. 

Once Alex gets a new towel from the cupboard Kara takes her place at the sink again and they finish up the dishes with less fanfare. 

“I just meant you guys really are great together,” Alex tries as she continues to wipe at the already very dry plate in her hands. 

“I know. You and Sam too.” 

“How we managed to land the two most perfect woman I will never know,” Alex says around a smirk that Kara returns. 

“Danvers sisters charm?” 

They both burst out laughing at that and by the time they catch their breaths Sam and Lena have come to check on them, identical incredulous looks on their faces as they watch the sisters huff and puff. Alex and Kara start laughing again at their faces as they retreat back to the living room at Eliza’s call of photo albums. The sisters freeze before rushing after their girlfriends.  
_________________________________________

Kara wakes up the following Tuesday holding Lena’s back against her front, all space between them erased. She pushes her nose into the baby hairs at Lena’s neck, the rest of her hair pulled into a messy bun last night before she fell asleep, and inhales deeply. Lena twitches a little, shaking her head before pushing herself tighter into Kara’s front. Kara hums as she continues to lay gentle touches on Lena’s warm from sleep skin until the woman in her arms finally starts moving toward wakefulness. 

“Good morning my chocolate éclair with extra strawberries,” Kara singsongs into the shell of Lena’s ear, being batted away by the hand still too uncoordinated to make much of an effort. 

_I swear she’s trying to kill me with these names. ___

____

“You’re just so delicious I can’t help myself!” 

_How did I turn into this giant mush ball? I used to be intimidating._

____

____

Kara laughs as she squeezes her still not quite awake girlfriend closer to her and receives a oomph in response. 

“Is there no limit to your boundless enthusiasm in the mornings?” Lena grumbles turning around in Kara’s arms, eyes still clenched shut. 

“I can’t help my powers, including energy, come from the sun crumb cake,” Kara laughs at Lena’s inability to function well in the mornings, it’s one of her favorite things about her. 

“Well some of us need coffee to put that spring in our step. A whole pot at least,” Lena says, finally opening her eyes and focusing on Kara’s face. Her lips pull up in a smile even as she tries to resist it as Kara lays a kiss on her head and moves to get up to go make coffee. 

“No,” Lena pouts, pulling Kara back toward her though she has yet to move an inch out of the comfy blanket nest they have created in the night. “Who said you could just leave me Kara Danvers?” Kara is impossibly inadequate to battle such a perfect argument and snuggles back closer. 

“I can’t make you coffee if you won’t let me get out of bed,” Kara whispers into Lena’s lips as she steals the first of many kisses for today. 

_There are other ways to get my heart racing that don’t involve you moving._

____

____

“Lena Luthor! How you can go from cuddly koala to sexed up vixen in the blink of an eye, I mean you weren’t even awake five minutes ago!” Kara jokingly admonishes with a boop to her nose. 

“Did you forget to turn on your dampener? I didn’t say that out loud Kara,” Lena says much more awake as she sits up and moves to check the side of Kara’s head. 

Kara shoots up quicker, hand coming to rest on Lena’s face to keep her from colliding with her current trajectory and touches the button on her device. She swears she remembered to turn it back on after she had used her power briefly to interrogate a rogue alien who attacked downtown yesterday. It turned out he was just very confused when he landed on Earth having been shooting for a similar planet two galaxies away and got frustrated when people couldn’t understand him. She still hadn’t gotten in the habit of leaving it off for more than just small moments at a time, though she knew she should be practicing more. When she touched the button it sent a small shock into her finger, not enough to sting but enough for her to notice and she stands up quickly so it doesn’t transfer to Lena. 

“Kara?” 

“It’s fine, I guess I didn’t turn it on before we went to bed, but now that I’m up why don’t I go get your coffee started?” She tries for casual but knows by the look on Lena’s face she is not even close. Lena’s face has stilled and the shadow of concern crosses it before she clamps it down and goes to her neutral façade she used to wear when she was uncomfortable. Kara stops her attempted exit at the punch to the gut she wasn’t expecting and moves back toward the bed. 

“Lena, I’m sorry. I…” she doesn’t know what she’s trying to say. She doesn’t want to tell her about the malfunction until she has time to bring it to Alex’s attention. She knows Lena would be able to help but she doesn’t want to add to her already blistering schedule. Lena had been late at the office most nights this week preparing for a conference call that was the first step in expanding their potential European market and Kara knew how stressed she was about it. 

“It’s fine Kara. You don’t have to tell me,” her voice is carefully controlled in the way Kara hasn’t heard in a long time. It hurts. 

“No Lena, that’s not it. The dampener is just acting up a little and I don’t want you to worry,” Kara decides on knowing the risk of Lena doing just that is better than her thinking Kara is actually hiding something from her. 

Lena waits, watching Kara in a way that feels like she is being dissected in a lab and she throws the comparison far from her brain. She sees Lena mull it over in what is only a few seconds but feels much longer before she opens the blankets inviting Kara back in. 

“You don’t have to hide things from me Kara,” Lena says leaning against the headboard as Kara scootches close to her back under the covers. 

“I know, I just don’t want to pull your attention right now. I was going to mention it after I took it to the DEO for Alex to look at, I promise.” 

“And if Alex can’t figure it out?” 

“Then I’ll call you first thing and you can come show her up in her own lab, because I know how much she loves it and I wouldn’t want to deprive either of you your nerd time together,” Kara says humor in her voice. Lena laughs and while it’s not her normal carefree one it is genuine and Kara curls herself around the sound. 

They sit leaning against each other until Lena’s phone goes off, alarm blaring and not nearly as fun to wake up to as Kara’s own mix of songs she tried to send Lena. But being a creature of habit had Lena refusing the upbeat classics and staying with her horrible horn noise. Kara was still getting used to it, but hadn’t put another hole in the ceiling in over a month now so baby steps. 

“Speaking of work…” Lena starts as she kisses Kara’s cheek and rises out of bed. The straightening of her back cracking all the way up her spine as she stretches upwards and then bends over touching her toes in her quick morning routine. While Kara would never admit to anything being better than waking up in Lena’s arms, or her in Kara’s, this particular few seconds after Lena rises from bed are some of Kara’s favorites of the day as well. 

“Kara, if you are quite done back there I really would love some coffee. Today is going to be an exceedingly long one,” Lena calls, head looking over her shoulder as she tosses her hair to the side effortlessly looking far too much a model for this early in the morning. And if the current runways in Paris or Milan weren’t contemplating Lena Luthor in sleep shorts and a risen up MIT t-shirt worn soft with age they were not doing their jobs. 

“Uh huh…” 

“Kara?” Lena fully turns toward her, erasing Kara’s view of her backside though enhancing this current one and when Kara raises her eyes to meet Lena’s she blushes at the knowing smirk and flies off to start the coffee to the sound of Lena laughing, moving toward the bathroom for a shower. 

Without the hazard that is Lena distracting Kara she is quick to get ready, even managing to zoom over to Noonans just as they open and get some breakfast pastry for her to enjoy and sneakily pass to Lena as she practices her speech to Kara one last time. 

Kara puts a very large pin in the worry she has about her dampener, letting her own reassurances to Lena play in her mind until she can go to the DEO and ask Alex about it like she said she would. With Lena rushing out the door, Kara barely getting in a quick kiss and one more “kick ass sugar plum,” before the dark haired woman speeds away on her far too high heels for anyone to be moving that fast, Kara quick changes into her supersuit and takes to the sky.  
_________________________________________

“Kara,” J’onn’s voice comes in over her com as she is circling the city, “status report?” 

“Where’s Alex? Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere learning how to live your life or something?” 

“Supergirl,” his voice is back to full director mode and Kara rolls her eyes. She is surrounded by people who don’t know what to do with themselves when they aren’t working. Such stubbornness. 

“I just dropped off bad guys numbers 1-5 at the police station and am heading back to the DEO unless I run into any other distractions.” She really wants to add a Sir just to mess with him. The image in her mind of his eyebrows pulling down until they almost eclipse his eyes making it hard for her to keep a straight face. 

At his affirmative she does a quick loop in the air to change directions and heads to the office downtown. Kara really had meant to head straight there this morning but it had been one thing after another that needed Supergirl’s attention. And yes she knows she didn’t really need to help get the frisbee down off the roof but the little boy had been so sad. And also the firefighters had the small trash can fire well in hand but she didn’t want to regret not helping when she had been flying by anyways. The robbery and pursuing car chase had been legitimate emergencies but now she was officially out of excuses to avoid checking in. 

She knew that she needed to tell Alex and J’onn that the dampener had been acting up but she was not looking forward to the lectures that would follow about her not practicing enough and relying too much on the prototype when it was only supposed to be a stopgap. She had a lot going on recently though! It wasn’t her fault that she really hadn’t made time to commit to meditative practices and in fact only really did them when she knew J’onn would be visiting the DEO so she wouldn’t be out and out lying when he asked. 

She arrives at the DEO and takes in the wandering agents, Winn playing on his computer, and J’onn’s general scowl. She listens for Alex and hears her taking a nap in her office, the immediate need to mess with her quelled by the desire to avoid her disappointed look. 

“Hey J’onn, slow day?” She asks collapsing across a chair that protests her disregard with loud creaking. 

“What’s wrong Kara?” He asks and he is so much the father figure she has relied on for years in that moment that she deflates into her chair. 

“My dampener is broken.” 

“When did this happen?” he asks, turning toward her and uncrossing his arms from the stern posture he had been assuming. 

“This morning, I noticed I could hear Lena’s thoughts when we woke up,” she knows she sounds guilty, waiting for the pin to drop, waiting for him to connect the dots. 

“And this is not a normal occurance for you and Ms. Luthor?” 

“No, I usually have it on…” 

“Kara,” he sighs, disappointment filling his voice and she lets the heaviness settle in her stomach. Anger would be so much easier, but the quiet disappointment is like barbs in her skin, “you haven’t been practicing using your power have you?” 

“I…” she doesn’t even finish the attempt at diminishing his question, she has no right to, “no, I haven’t. I use my power sometimes but most of the time I leave the dampener on.” 

“Why? I know you have had a lot going on these past few months but this isn’t something you should have been ignoring.” He’s kind, the way that only someone who cares deeply about her can be while still holding a little frustration in the way his sentence ends in reprimand. 

“I know, I tried but I just figured that since I had this I didn’t need to. It’s not like I use my other powers all the time. Just when I need them,” she whines, annoying even herself as it comes out of her mouth pleadingly. 

“This isn’t like your other power. This is something that happened to you which you needed to practice. You didn’t know how to use any of the powers the yellow sun bestowed upon you when you landed either, but to ignore this one is not to be responsible.” 

“I know.” 

“We should probably wake your Director Danvers, I’m sure she will have something to say,” she watches him try to hide the smirk and the image of Alex’s face reddening like a tomato is one she knows is about to come to reality. 

J’onn squeezes her shoulder as he walks toward Alex’s office, Kara not really entertaining the idea of running toward some emergency (there has to be something going on) because letting Alex stew on this would be worse. 

When Alex comes charging toward her she knows J’onn already briefed her on the situation and she stands as to not allow herself to curl into a shell. Might as well get this over with. 

“Kara are you kidding me?!?” Alex shouts, though her attempt to mediate her frustration is appreciated even if it’s not working. “You said you had been working on it!” 

“I have, just not a lot!” The inherent nature to meet Alex at her level is not one Kara can quell as the younger sister, even if she is in the wrong. 

“Don’t you dare Kara Danvers! J’onn already told me that you haven’t. It’s been months Kara! Months!” 

“It’s not like I haven’t been busy! You have too!” 

“That’s not the point Kara! This is important. We needed to know if things had changed but we can’t when you haven’t been even trying!” Her face is flushed as she fills with bluster and Kara pulls herself back. She really can’t when everything Alex is saying is spot on. 

“I know, I’m sorry Alex, I just kind of forgot about it until I needed it…” 

“Kara,” Alex huffs but moves to pull her into a hug anyways. Alex could never really stay mad at her, she would get big and loud but at the end Kara never doubts that she will be on her side. Like always. 

“You really piss me off sometimes you know?” She whispers in her ear while bopping the back of her head. 

“I know, but you still love me anyways,” Kara says, laughing a little as she squeezes her sister tightly once more and releases her. 

“Of course I do. You’re like a virus. Worming your way in and now I’m stuck with you,” Alex jokes before rolling her eyes at Kara sticking her tongue out at her. 

“Ahem,” J’onn tries to regain their attention, quite used to the theaterics of the sisters at this point. He doesn’t even try to look stern but instead moves them toward the lab, Alex already talking about potential fails the dampener might be experiencing.  
__________________________________________

Kara flies over the quieting city with no real intent besides clearing her mind. After Alex looked at her dampener she went full scientist mode about the technology and the applications in a conversation she was sure Lena would have enjoyed but one she fuzzed out on pretty quickly. Until Alex said Lena’s name. 

“What was that?” Kara asks bringing herself back to attention. 

Alex mumbles something about useless bisexual to which Kara rolls her eyes and makes a get on with it motion. 

“I was saying your timing is impeccable as ever considering Lena and I finally figured out the last sequence for the cure Sunday.” 

“The cure?” 

“Kara, at least pretend like you’re paying attention to the things I say!” Alex says exasperatedly. “Yes the cure, and considering you haven’t shown much interest in your power maybe this is kismet. Though that’s not an excuse for you to slack off…” 

Kara stops her before she gets too much into the rant again. 

“You and Lena. You were working on a cure.” 

Alex turns away from her tinkering noticing the flat affect Kara’s using. Understanding blooms across her face and she scratches her neck nervously. 

“You didn’t know?” She says it like an apology and Kara doesn’t want to hear it. She’s not mad, just confused. She didn’t know they had been working on it and from the way Alex is reacting it’s obvious she assumed Lena had told her. 

“Kara?” 

“It’s fine Alex. Really. She must have just forgotten to mention it.” 

“It’s not done yet, but it will be soon.” 

“Can I think about it?” Kara asks, rising and preparing to leave. She really doesn’t know what’s going on in her mind right now but she needs a little space. 

“Of course Kar. Take your time.” Kara lets herself be drawn into a side hug that she quickly returns before moving to the door. 

“Talk to Lena. Just… talk to her.” Alex says softly, not watching Kara leave. 

“I will. I’ll call you later okay?” Kara says, pausing to watch her sister dig back into the torn apart prototype. She waves her off muttering about damn Luthors and their high tech nonsense but turns to give Kara a distracted smile that instantly settles her nerves. 

She left the DEO and started flying around, more drifting, helping the occasional people when they needed it but it continued to be a quiet day. 

She doesn’t know what she wants. That’s the sticking point she keeps coming back to. Does she want to give up this power that admittedly she wasn’t using much anyways? Or does she want to actually try to embrace it? 

She pulls to mind the times she has used her mindreading since it became optional. All of them have the common theme of helping people in ways she would not have been able to if she hadn’t been hit with the alien gun almost a year ago. She was able to be a voice for people, the very reason she got into journalism in the first place. She wants that, she loves that. But if she decides not to take the cure does that mean she will have to rely on another dampener to keep her in check? 

She knows she is wholly ignoring the third option where she lets her power exist without the dampener and knuckles down in her training, but that’s not the problem. She’s scared. She’s scared of what happens when she hears the thoughts of everyone she comes in contact with and isn’t able to unhear those things. She’s scared of Lena and Alex and even Winn knowing she can hear their thoughts if they so much as hug her and it making them reticent to be around her. She’s scared of taking advantage of the people she loves and becoming a burden. 

The honesty, even with herself, scares her a little and she flies straight up until she’s broken the atmosphere and can scream into the void. She screams and she yells and she exhausts herself until she is able to clear out a little of the extra noise. As she floats back down toward National City she realizes that, upon clearing her mind, there’s only one person she wants to talk to. One person she wants to help her figure out if it’s even plausible to keep this power and take the safety off. 

She flies toward L-Corp and almost drops out of the sky when she realizes the top level is dark, the only light coming from the office down the hall where she sees the janitor dancing as he cleans. She takes a mental snapshot to share with Lena, the man had baffled them both upon previous meetings in his short awkward answers, and clipped offers of goodnight when Kara drug Lena out of the office. The way he’s dancing though, it’s born of absolute happiness, his smile crinkling his eyes until the wrinkles are taking over his face. Kara loves catching people like this, unaware and natural. She never shares half the things she sees, and wishes she could forget a solid amount of other things, but she loves the examples of humanity that surround her. Something as simple as finding out the night janitor for the top floors loves the Ramones, enough to send her toward Lena’s apartment smile mirroring his. 

She arrives home and flies through the open window, the smell of Chinese food overwhelming her as she all but crashes toward the spread Lena had laid out. 

“I was wondering when you would show up,” Lena chuckles as she stretches herself out of the curled position on the couch, book resting on her legs tucked into her body, and wine glass in hand. 

“I didn’t figure you would be home anywhere close to this time or I would have been here sooner!” Kara tells her, crouching down to kiss Lena. Her lips taste like the dark red wine she is enjoying and Kara takes an extra swipe of her tongue before being pushed away by Lena who nods her head toward the food. Kara quickly reheats it and dives in, much hungrier than she realized having skipped lunch in her random wanderings of the sky. 

“How did you call go?” Kara asks around the two potstickers she has unceremoniously shoved in her mouth. Lena’s unamused stare forces Kara to swallow and chase them with some water before turning to her girlfriend and trying again. 

“It went fine, honestly so much prep for them to agree with me after almost the first hour. I felt almost cheated,” Lena dons a small pout that Kara wants to kiss away more than anything else but knows Lena would probably not appreciate the soy sauce that is dribbling down her chin. 

“My poor big bad CEO, so over prepared for the little men who laid down at her feet because they couldn’t even think to argue with her geniusness.” 

Her words have the desired effect and Lena starts laughing heartily. Kara watches her laugh and loves her. She loves her so much it’s bursting to come out. Unfortunately her verbal diarrhea is well documented and instead she says, “How come you didn’t tell me about the cure you and Alex were working on?” 

The abrupt stop of Lena’s laughter hurts Kara’s ears, and her heart, and she almost wishes she didn’t bring it up. But she really does want to know. 

“I wasn’t sure how to tell you…” Lena looks at her, face close to neutral but arm extended to pat the couch cushion next to her for Kara to come sit on. 

Kara pops one more potsticker in her mouth and moves off the ground to sit next to Lena, maybe a few inches closer than Lena had motioned for but she can’t help but have missed her after not seeing her all day. She nods her head to show she’s listening and holds Lena’s hand in her own, interlocking their fingers and starting to draw circles with her thumb across the pulse point of Lena’s wrist. Which is sped up a little higher than normal but not alarmingly so. 

“At first it was more a theoretical exercise for Alex and me. We would talk about curing you and toss ideas back and forth whenever we had a little bit of free time. But as ideas are want to do they didn’t leave us alone. Alex came to me with a breakthrough and from there we just kept working on it. I don’t know if we ever even intended to use it on you, that would never be our choice anyways, but it became about seeing if we could. It wasn’t like when you were sick Kara, we weren’t frantic and working all the time, just sometimes. It could happen a couple nights in one week and then we wouldn’t touch it again for months.” 

She spends the whole time she is explaining leaning her head on Kara’s shoulder. Her tone never varies, and Kara doesn’t hear a hint of defensiveness in it. Not that she was looking. She figured it was something like this. It was never an issue for her that they had been working on a cure, she could no sooner control the intellectual pursuits Lena got started on then stop the sun from rising. Nor would she want to. The thing that she’s been volleying back and forth in her mind was the not being told part. 

“But you didn’t tell me.” 

“No, we didn’t. Though I expect Alex assumed I would. I didn’t want to pressure you about it until we had an actual something to talk about. I wasn’t trying to keep this from you Kara. Please believe me about that. You’ve been doing so well with this power, I just didn’t want you to be worried I wanted you to change.” 

“I believe you. I just don’t want their to be secrets Lena.” She says it gently, something they have talked about before, though not having to be brought up for a while. 

“Neither do I Darling. This wasn’t an intentional secret, just one of omission,” she smiles at Kara and Kara is helpless to do anything but kiss her. She keeps it brief, her own moment of fessing up would be all too easy to distract herself from but she wants Lena to know she’s not mad. She’s not even hurt honestly. She knows how much Lena has worked on talking to her, how far she has come in their relationship. How far they both have come. It’s always been harder for Lena though, she’s never had someone to really tell things to and it’s true words that state it’s harder to unlearn something than to learn it. 

Kara pulls away and giggles when Lena follows her, trying to extend the kiss a little longer. Lena’s eyes are still closed but she has pulled her brows down in a little pout at not finding Kara’s lips again and Kara kisses her one more time to erase it. 

“Lena, there’s something I’ve kind of been omitting too,” Kara starts hesitantly waiting for Lena to open her eyes. 

She does, slowly like she is still happily immersed in their bubble of affection from moments ago. But she focuses on Kara and waits patiently for her to begin. 

“So I kind of haven’t actually been using my power almost at all and have had the dampener on all the time and this morning it malfunctioned and that’s why I was being weird because I haven’t heard your thoughts in a really long time and they surprised me and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you but it was kind of like what you were saying except mine was more I just kept putting off learning how to really use it but then I had to and…” 

Kara is surprised as Lena’s lips stop her rambling but she returns the kiss questioningly. Lena pulls back after a few second and now it’s Kara chasing her. 

“I know,” Lena says. 

“You know?”

“Yes, I figured it out earlier while I was killing time waiting for you to finish your Supergirl work so we could make an early evening together.” 

“And…” Not that Kara wasn’t happy with Lena’s very chill reaction but she’s waiting for whatever is below the surface. 

“While I was less than pleased about you not telling me you weren’t even trying really, I was sure the lectures you would be getting from your sister and Mr. J'onzz would cover that and more,” Lena laughs as Kara’s face pulls into the cringe remembering the disappointment and yelling. “But it’s like you said Kara, neither of us want secrets between us but it would be unrealistic to expect after talking a few times that it would never come up again. We are learning together, and this is another step. No more omission secrets, check.” 

Kara stares at her girlfriend, her perfect intelligent girlfriend who wrapped up everything she had been trying to say earlier in a neat little packages and put a bow on for good measure. She wishes she hadn’t stressed so much about talking about this but at the end of the day she has always been a little dramatic, yet somehow found someone who loved her not despite it but for it. 

This time when she kisses Lena it’s without the hesitancy and gentle bringing together of lips that all their kisses previously had shared. It’s raw and strong and the pouring of how much she loves her into Lena any way she can. Lena is the one who calms her down, who rubs her back in deep circles to take away Kara’s franticness. To kiss her own love back into Kara with no less passion but much more mellowed pace. 

Kara scoops Lena up and devours her giggle while walking them to the bedroom. Kara wanted to have this non-conversation with far fewer clothes and if Lena’s grip on her shoulders were any kind of indication she was on the same page. 

They came together in long strokes of exposed skin and searching tongues. In whispered words and joking frivolity. They make love over and over until there is no doubt in their minds that this is exactly the kind of outcome that should happen from honest communication. They make love until Lena taps out, far too sensitive and wanting to be held, though they slip and slide together until the sweat cools on their skin. 

Kara is holding Lena to her chest, head laying on her breast and occasionally nipping a little playfully. Kara stokes her matted hair and feels her body settle back down. When their temperatures eventually come down a few degrees Lena tries pulling the sheet over them with her toe but finds herself unable to maneuver just so and pouts until Kara covers them both. 

“Move in with me?” Lena asks, in the self assured way of someone who already knows the answer. 

“No,” Kara says, eyes still closed and without much thought. 

Lena slams away from Kara’s body, sitting up so quickly her momentum almost throws her off the bed if not for Kara’s quick reflexes. Kara sees the hurt and confusion in her eyes and immediately sits up to be closer to her.

“Lena no, not like that,” she says quickly and watches Lena’s still stiff body not relax a muscle, though she starts to shake from the combination of exhaustion, cold, and fear Kara surmises. Kara brings the comforter off the floor and pulls it over Lena’s shoulders, covering her and drawing Lena closer. She begs her with her eyes and after hesitating a moment longer Lena lays back down next to Kara. Her face is inches from Kara’s own but Kara doesn’t move to bridge the gap just yet. 

“I don’t want to move in with you Lena Luthor. I want us to move out together,” she says and waits for Lena’s reaction. She can’t help but giggle a little bit at the look of confusion still marring her girlfriend’s face. It’s not one she sees often and loves the way her beautiful features scrunch adorably as she tries to puzzle it out. 

“I don’t understand,” Lena says, though she has moved closer to Kara now, having let herself find relief that the moment of terror deprived her of. She tucks her leg in between Kara’s own and pulls Kara’s hand to hers cradled against her chest. 

“I’ve never seen you more happy than when you were working on this housing project these past few months. The work you have done past just creating them in our city and trying to start a global initiative is amazing Lena. I think you should be the one who travels and shows other companies how to do this, who shares your success and continues to spread this idea as far as you can take it.” 

“Oh Kara, I can’t just leave everything behind. I have L-Corp and commitments here. There’s no way… Kara, I could never leave you. I can’t even imagine that,” Lena’s body shudders at the thought and Kara pulls her the last bit closer until their foreheads are touching and their chests flush against each other. 

“You wouldn’t be. Lena I could never just watch you fly off into the sunset. I would come with you. Jess is more than capable of acting as interim CEO until you find someone else, or just promote her straight out. And we would come back all the time, whenever we wanted. It wouldn’t take us but a couple hours to fly here from where we are, no matter how far.” 

Lena looks skeptical at the idea of flying so far outside the safety of a plane but doesn’t say anything. Kara can feel her thoughts racing, not landing on anything specific but moving at such a speed as the possibilities fill Lena up. 

“What about you? What about being Supergirl? I could never ask you to give up something like that for me Kara. You love it.” 

“I do, but there are more than just one way to save people. I love helping people. I love getting to know them and making changes that can have a lasting effect on their lives. I love making a difference, but I don’t have to be wearing a cape to do so. I want to do this with you. Maybe I’ll be a roaming journalist, maybe I’ll actually use this power to help people who can’t express themselves, or are too scared to.” 

“You really want to do this? Move away and see where we end up?” Lena asks, her own answer in her eyes shining brighter than Kara has ever seen them before. 

“I do. I really want to do this. Will you do it with me?” Kara asks. 

“Where you go I go Darling. There’s nowhere else I would rather be than by your side.” 

Kara kisses her deeply but has to pull back as the laugh sneaks up on her. Lena looks at her for a moment before joining in. They laugh and hold each other close and let their minds race with possibilities, of change, of adventure, of forging a path together. 

“We’re really going to do this?” Lena asks once they have quieted down. 

“Together,” Kara returns against Lena’s lips. 

“Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is guys, this is the last full chapter for this story though there will be an epilogue. I’ll probably be posting that soon as well and I’ll save all the feelings for then but a genuine and wholehearted thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have. 
> 
> I’m on tumblr at Nataliawhite92. 
> 
> Until next time :)


	10. Epilogue: Love Is The Prize

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four years later Lena and Kara return to National City for a wedding

Four years later

Kara leans over the back of the couch, resting her chin on Lena’s shoulder as she finished typing notes from her meeting with representatives from an Italian tech agency who had been the most recent to show interest in their work. Lena leans her head against Kara, making a noise to show she was almost done before shutting her laptop and turning to kiss Kara’s cheek. Kara hovers off the ground so she can move closer to Lena and deepen the kiss. Moments pass as they both relax into the comfort of each other that had been many years in the making. 

_We have a meeting in two hours Darling, but the way you’re looking at me makes concerned about our attendance. ___

____

Kara laughs and steals one more kiss from her girlfriend before half jumping half floating over the back of the couch to sit down next to her. 

“I think our presence would be missed considering they are honoring you with another humanitarian award Lena,” she says lacing their fingers together and stroking Lena’s face with her other hand. 

“Which I am immensely grateful for, but it’s hard to think about much else when you’re this close to me.” 

Lena’s face had changed over the last few years. Rarely did it hold the neutral mask she had spent so long cultivating in an effort to hide behind. There were the beginnings of lines at the corners of her eyes from smiling, something Kara was herself very proud of and took any chance to kiss. The weight that had rested upon her narrow shoulders for so long was gone and Lena was free. She had been doing an honorable job hiding it when they were at the beginning of their relationship and it wasn’t until the complete absence that Kara really saw how heavy the burden she had been carrying was. 

A lot had changed along with Lena. They had spent the last four years traveling the globe, mostly for work but also to enjoy the places this world had to offer. They had expanded their work time and time again and at last count had organized efforts in 22 countries with five more currently on their docket. 

They returned to National City often the first year but since then it had been mostly for special occasions. Alex and Sam’s engagement party. Eliza’s retirement, which had lasted all of a month before she threw herself into teaching unable to relax. The birth of the twins, who were little spitfires that kept Alex and Sam on their toes as well as Alex threatening to ship them across the ocean at Kara’s teasing. Ruby’s early graduation from high school, where Kara had cried and Lena had pretended she had something in her eyes. 

It hadn’t just been Lena who flourished outside of the confines of the states. Kara had finally found her own path and while it was still a work in progress she was settling into helping the world both with and without Lena. She had flown back so many times that Alex had finally sat her down and convinced her she needed to focus on what was in front of her and not behind. 

“I can’t just abandon my city Alex!” Kara yells as Alex pulls her aside on her most recent return to National City. 

“You’re not! But you can’t keep running back here every time you think we need help.” Kara knew her words were true and that it was her who was having a problem with letting go of her presumed duties. She had always had a difficult time with change and this was proving no different. 

“But you do need help,” she says in a quieter but still ruffled voice. 

“It’s not going to last Kara!”

“What do you mean?”

“We have to learn to do this without you,” Alex says gently. She places a hand on Kara’s forearm and Kara lets her logical calm take the place of her frantic mind. 

“You don’t want me to come back anymore?”

“Of course I do Kar. You’re always going to be my little sister. I’m always going to want you around but you did it. You found a way to follow your dreams. You fought so hard to get to this point with Lena, with yourself, hell with me even because I know when you first came to me with this half baked idea I thought you were an irrational idiot leading too much with your heart. But you’re not. It’s not wrong for you to want your own life, you just have to go for it now that you’ve found it. You can’t keep looking back Kara, it’s time to look forward.”

Kara cries. She doesn’t stop the tears that have been filling her eyes as they start to leak down her face. Neither does she stop her sister from pulling her into a hug. She can feel Alex’s own tears falling onto her shoulder as they hold each other. 

She knows it’s not goodbye. It could never be goodbye with Alex but things are changing. She is starting something brand new with Lena and for the first time it isn’t with the accompaniment of the one person who had always been with her. Alex has Sam and Ruby, her own family that is separate from Kara and she’s glad. She’s so glad for them both but it’s hard to stand on her own. 

Then she thinks of Lena. Lena who moved like a hurricane around her apartment packing everything she thought they would need and comparing her mental inventory to lists like she hadn’t made dozens of international trips in her life thus far. Lena who smiles to herself every time she wakes up in Kara’s arms in some new place and greets her with a kiss. Lena who is so excited by what they are doing. Lena. 

Kara promises she isn’t really not going to come back before she leaves. Alex calls her an idiot again and says she knows. I love yous tucked into the banter, woven around their hearts in a bond that can never be broken by distance nor time.  
___________________________________________

When she returns to Lena in Spain she is waiting for her, sitting on the patio of their rented home under an umbrella to keep the sharp rays of the sun from her porcelain skin. Her hair is down, dried in the little whispers of wind. Her waves falling just below the back of the pink and orange sundress that eclipses the beauty of the setting sun in front of them. Lena holds up a finger, finishing the last of the notes she’s making for their meeting tomorrow with a communications firm lead by a woman who welcomed them to the city with many cheek kisses and sincerity of thanks. 

“How was your trip Darling?” Lena asks taking a sip from her wine and raising an eyebrow. Kara hadn’t not told her she was going back but she also didn’t tell her she was before abandoning her exploratoritory walk and taking off into the sky. 

“Are you mad?” Kara’s watching Lena’s face, waiting for any signs of displeasure but is met with a genuine smile and a hand held out towards her. 

Lena pulls at Kara’s arm and with one last tug Kara ends up in her lap, laughing at her awkward limbs that feel too big for this reversal. She wiggles around a bit, laughing again as Lena adjusts underneath her and complains about alien tailbones being sharper than normal but holds her tight when Kara tries to get up. 

Kara finally settles, half turned toward Lena with her arm wrapped around the smaller woman’s shoulders. Lena is watching her, the smile still on her face mixed with the bit of cocky attitude she always gets when she wakes up in the morning and Kara has somehow become the little spoon. For someone who spends so much of her life protecting others the moments when she is the one being held in Lena’s arms are some of her most precious. 

“Kara,” Lena says squeezing her tighter around the middle, “how could I be mad at you? I know how hard this is. Leaving behind a life, a purpose. I would never fault you for reconsidering even,” she tries to stay strong then but the last words are rushed, insecurity leaking in that breaks Kara’s heart. 

“No Lena,” she turns around completely, finagling her legs to barely fit through the arm rests of the chair on top of Lena until they are facing each other like a wonky spider, “I don’t regret leaving. I never have. I just was scared. I’m not good at…” she waves her hand around a little trying to find the word, “new. Even when it’s everything I want it takes time for me. Time to figure out how to move forward. But please never doubt this is where I want to be. You are where I want to be.” 

Kara watches the moisture fill Lena’s eyes as she narrows the space between them. She waits, feeling Lena’s breath on her lips, for Lena to move forward. When they meet it’s soft, and quick, and perfect. It’s a promise. A promise of their life together. A promise of their choice. A promise of their future. 

They break apart smiling at each other. Kara keeping her eyes closed for a moment longer until the butterflies in her stomach settle a little. Those pesky buggers making themselves known even this far into their relationship. Being close with Lena never fails to make the sparks inside her ignite, fireworks and lightning bugs. 

When she opens her eyes she sees Lena, her own face a mix of wonder and love, watching her through a small smile. She leans forward once more to brush their noses together before relaxing into their embrace, head turned just enough to catch the last of the colors painting the sky.  
___________________________________________

Living with Lena turns out to be remarkably easy. The little adjustments she was worried about filling their home with laughter as they both find their way towards cohesiveness. 

Lena never manages to become a morning person even when as sun energizes Kara each morning into full wakefulness. More often than not Kara wakes her with soft kisses and gentle nudges toward consciousness. She never tires of Lena’s disgruntled little noises and has to resist scooping the sleeping woman up in her arms and dancing around in her joy. 

Sometimes Kara will get up, turning back to just watch Lena reach toward where her body had been only to settle for cuddling Kara’s pillow to her chest and falling back into slumber. Kara never makes breakfast for the worry of waking Lena before it’s done, plus some memorable almost fires have deterred her continued attempts. Instead she flies around to local pastry shops, her ever elongating list of favorites getting more elaborate the longer they are in any one place. She gets coffee, even though the first thing to be unpacked at any new place is Lena’s French press, her espresso machine, and her normal coffee maker. Only once she has too much to fill her arms and her tiny pack she straps to her back does she return and greet a still sleeping Lena with the bounty. 

She always sets the coffee on their bedside table, watching as the smell wafts toward Lena and she starts to stir. By the time Lena has gone through the whole cycle of debating whether it’s worth it to curl back into a ball or reach out for the coffee waiting for her Kara has their breakfast arranged on a tray and watches Lena open her eyes, blinking slowly. 

“Good morning my love,” Kara coos, voice still quiet because morning Lena does not do well with anything above a certain decibel. 

“Croissant?” 

“Yes my little glazed donut?” 

Lena is usually awake enough by this time for her to glare menacingly towards Kara while making little grabby hands that always stir the glittering of Kara’s heart. 

Kara hands her the plate from the tray, leaning in close enough to steal a kiss but never more than one because before coffee Lena is exceptionally single minded. 

Kara loves their various routines. By their third country they have it down to a science. Simplicity filling their lives as they pack less and less each time to take with them and more boxes get shipped back to the states. 

They make a point to spend at least a week after each finished project to explore wherever they are. Delighting in the cultures they get to experience, the people they meet, the beauty they encounter. Nothing about it becomes repetitive when every six to eight months they move to a new place and begin all over again.

With each new place Kara finds it a little easier to embrace her new role as partner in both the sense of being with Lena and working with her. She watches her command a room and change lives. And if that awe translates to appreciative worshiping when they return to their home at night she can’t be held accountable. Those business suits are jaw dropping but seeing Lena’s wardrobe transform into a combination of comfort and sexy is too much for poor Kara.  
__________________________________________

They return to National City as often as they can but with their continued efforts it’s more often than not for special occasions. Lena gives their family carte blanche access to the jet as long as they aren’t using it and Alex, Sam, and Ruby visit them often the first couple years. Eliza comes at least once to each new country they arrive in but is just as passionate about her work back home and only stays a couple weeks at the time. 

Once Alex gets pregnant with the twins they visit less, usually Ruby traveling alone at a moments notice to get away from screaming infants and showing up at their door with a shrug and silent plea. 

Four years after leaving they come back for Sam and Alex’s wedding.  
__________________________________________

Lena and Kara touch down on the tarmac of National City’s private airport in the middle of the night, having flown from Italy as soon as the unveiling of their latest complex had finished. It had been an exhausting 14 hour flight, the adrenaline running out around hour 4 for Lena who promptly curled into a ball on one of the couches, head in Kara’s lap and pulling her arms until they were tucked around her. Kara didn’t have the same luxury of finding sleep. She still found it a very strange sensation to be inside a giant metal contraption that was keeping them in the air, but after the first few flights when she may or may not have popped out the side entrance to fly loops around the plane Lena had put a kibosh on her antics and she learned to adjust.

She was also excited. Excited to be going home, for National City would always be their home no matter how many new places they visited. Excited to see Alex, and hopefully calm her down if the militaristic style agenda for the next two weeks was any indication of her mental status. Excited to see Ruby, and Sam, and the twin terrors who had just celebrated their second birthday. Alex had called Kara screaming when her and Lena’s joint present of two dragon stuffed animals had been delivered, too big to fit through the front door and quickly turning into the only place the girls would sleep. The pictures of the brown haired, seemingly angelic looking small humans wrapped in the wings of their respective dragons was one Lena had printed and hung in their current living room. Red bodied with gold tendons reaching down the wings and black elaborately decaled symbols speaking of Kryptonian family and love stenciled onto the body for Nicole, midnight blue with lime green and silver accents for Annah. 

Kara spent the flight reading through the (extra to the max) itinerary that Alex had sent, laughing at the notes Sam had added criticizing her wife to be and pleading with Kara to come home already so Alex doesn’t give herself a heart attack before the day of the wedding arrives. They planned to be there two weeks before the actual wedding and by some miracle, even Rao seemed to know how much Kara and Lena were needed at home, they had managed to stick to their schedule. 

They expected to be greeted by Lena’s personal driver but Kara wasn’t surprised when the car waiting for them was a minivan (which she had teased Alex mercilessly about after hearing of the purchase) Alex leaning casually against the hood, arms crossed but smile not nearly as contained as she was trying for. 

Kara helps Lena down the last step and by the time she looks up Alex is barreling toward her full sprint, Kara gently brushing Lena a couple steps to the side so she’s not a casualty of Alex’s exuberant greeting. 

Alex reaches her, Kara absorbing the impact as much as she can, and holds her sister tight. Alex squeezes her, whisper yelling a mile a minute about her being gone too long, and all they had to do, and many other chastisements as Kara melts into her big sister’s arms. She takes a deep breath, willing herself not to let the tears fall but a few sneak out and she’s too happy to be actually bothered. Alex smells like the home she has missed so fiercely, a combination of the Rao awful hair product she thinks makes her look more badass, the cologne Sam gifts her, what Kara thinks is banana which is a newer but very mom like smell, and underneath it all Alex. Kara holds her through one last bone creaking squeeze before pulling back to look at her. Alex’s hair is a little longer than last she saw her, grown out now on both sides but still cut stylishly in an A-frame that shows her handsome face, the lines in the corner of her eyes a little deeper as well; a testament to the laughter and happiness she has found in her life. If Kara notices a couple greys in her hair, or the deep bags under Alex’s eyes she chooses not to mention it, she knows just how much work those two little ones are on top of the stress of the ever approaching wedding. Eliza calls them karmic justice for all the stress little Alex put her through, and to this day seems to be the only one who can work the secret mom magic and make them behave. 

“Hi,” Kara says when she finally exits Alex’s space, still holding her by the shoulders and smiling as her sister rolls her eyes. 

“About damn time you two got here! You are officially 87 minutes late according to your flight trajectory!” 

Lena laughs, drawing both the sister’s attention to the dark haired woman who has gotten used to waiting patiently upon reunions. The two Danvers acting like they had been to war without the other instead of just across the world for a few months. 

“Come here Luthor,” Alex says chuckling while pulling Lena into a hug with almost as much enthusiasm as she had with Kara. They had grown to become increasingly close over the years, Kara only not appreciating it when they still ganged up on her but some things can’t be helped. Lena finally had the big sister she had always wanted and Alex graciously accepted another younger sibling into her heart. 

“I missed you and your neurosis too Alex,” Lena laughs after pulling out of the hug and linking her hand with Kara, the exhaustion still in her voice and beginning to cause her to sway on her feet though she is doing a valiant job of trying to hide it. 

Alex moves to open the door for her, calling over her shoulder for Kara to make herself useful and get their bags loaded up before her poor girlfriend falls asleep standing up. Kara laughs to herself, grabbing said bags and making her way to the popped (and very spacious! via Alex) truck of the minivan. It’s good to be home.  
__________________________________________

If Kara thought the work they had been doing internationally was a lot it was nothing compared to pulling together the wedding of her older sister. One would think they hadn’t been planning for close to a year the way Alex carried on over the next couple weeks, like the world was catching fire every other moment and she had the only extinguisher. Kara, being Alex’s best woman, was in charge of attending the endless last minute (hours long) appointments debating the merits of this floral arrangement versus this other one, and tux fittings where Alex was a nightmare and the tailor ended up with a very generous check previously endorsed by Lena and left blank for Kara to fill in depending on just how much of a terror her sister had been. 

Lena on the other hand spent her time with the other member of the couple, who had a much saner approach to the wedding that entailed many glasses of wine and hours of catching up. They were stationed in Sam and Alex’s new home, their previous one proved far too small for the growing family and the couple had opted to get a large ranch style house outside the city limits on 20 acres of land. Something that would come in handy when the girls started growing into their powers. They were all still unsure exactly what powers would manifest, Ruby had gotten none because of Reigns inactivity when she was gestating, but the girls were truly half Kryptonian so anything was possible. Alex had already enlisted Kara’s pledge of help (signed and notarized on an official contract) stating that when this happened she would be there. Lena sent Kara many pictures of her relaxing on the couch, her playing with the little ones, her and Ruby laughing at Kara’s return pictures of distress and feigned jealousy. Kara was planning a very elaborate revenge on them all, after the wedding of course because she may be invulnerable but she wouldn’t put it past Alex to blast her with whatever she could get her hands on just to test the theory if Kara made any waves. 

The day of the actual wedding was surprisingly calm. Kara and Jess, who had come back into town for the occasion after taking Lena’s approach to running a company and becoming a roaming CEO, had been at the venue signing for deliveries and supervising the creation of everything Alex and Sam had imagined. 

They were getting married in an open roofed church that had been renovated by Lena over the past year to hold the bones of the architecture but with modifications. The roof had been completely removed, the weathered white marble stone walls that held the history of the place kept but reinforced, the amenities modernized but tucked away from the main area as to not disturb the integrity. The overt catholic aspects had also been removed and replaced with small Stars of David and pieces of Kryptonian marriage ceremony symbols adorning the walls. Neither Sam, nor Alex, were particularly religious but agreed about appreciating the parts of spirituality that spoke of kindness, family, being together, love. Lena had also removed the pews, “uncomfortable nonsense meant to encourage piety that I have no time for Kara,” and replaced them with sleek black benches of her own invention that adjusted for optimal lumbar support of each person sitting on them. She put in a small raised stage for the actual ceremony to take place on and large stained glass windows that when the sun shone through turned everything alive with color. It was her wedding gift to the couple, one that she hadn’t shown them the results of until it had been completely finished and then ignored all arguments of it being too much. 

The reception would take place both inside and out, the old church being at the top of a hill that overlooked the ocean in Midvale that Kara and Alex had grown up on. 

The florists had done a magnificent job, winding ivy and vines around the pillars that brought the idea of being part of a reclaimed forest to life. The flowers were not elaborate or overdone, keeping to natural colors and simple arrangements one might find in this place centuries ago. Alex and Sam had agreed on their wedding being a celebration of not just their union but life in general. Life that was forged on this planet and life that was welcomed from afar. Their inclusion of nature a nod to the continuity and strength of the past melding with the future.

The caterers would arrive early the morning of the wedding, setting up outside the church with a full buffet (that Kara was not allowed to sample so Jess would be handling that one), and there was an open bar tucked into the forest line fully staffed. 

Kara’s job this day was to make sure Alex got to the church on time and hopefully in a state of relative calm, something Kara had been dreading for her whole time being home. She was happily shocked to wake up beside her sister, the brides decided to spend one night apart even though most of the traditions were not being upheld this was one Sam always loved growing up, and see Alex already awake. She prepares to start talking her down but when Alex turns to her smiling dopily and missing the anxious energy that had been part of her person for the past fortnight Kara hesitantly smiles back. 

“I’m getting married today,” Alex says simply, smile growing with every word. 

“You are getting married today,” Kara returns, her own smile mirroring her sisters. 

“To Sam. I’m getting married today to Sam,” Alex is speaking slowly, like she can’t really believe it’s happening and bursts into laughter before Kara can say anything back. She laughs and laughs until tears are pouring down her face and she is struggling to catch her breath. She catches sight of Kara’s very confused face that is pulled somewhere between a grimace at her worry of Alex finally breaking into insanity, and an awkward smile and starts all over again. Kara finally gives in and laughs with her sister, both of them reaching delirious levels of joviality before coming back to themselves. Alex is still laying on her back, one hand on her chest as she tries to bring her breathing back to normal, the other searching under the covers for Kara’s. Kara laces their fingers together when Alex finds her and squeezes her hand once. She turns her head to the side to see Alex already watching her. Her sister, her protector, her best friend, about to be a wife, looking happier than she’s almost ever seen her before. She leans over, placing a kiss on Alex’s forehead before pulling them both up to get ready. 

They arrive at the venue right on time, even in her blissed out state Alex is a stickler for punctuality. Getting ready had been relatively simple for them compared to the second half of the wedding party. Kara and Alex were both wearing sleek tuxedos, Alex’s black with gold accents to pair with Sam’s dress. Sam, never being one to not fight against the tide had tossed the white wedding dress idea out the window and decided on an understatedly beautiful gold dress with a fitted bodice and a small train. The whole thing was adorned with small translucent gems that when hit by the sunlight shone a rainbow of colors every time she moved. Kara’s tux was similar to Alex’s but with dark green accents to match Lena’s dress. 

A knock on the door has both sisters turning away from last minute touch ups in the mirror and greeting J’onn and Eliza. J’onn was in a standard tux, white shirt, but gold cummerbund and cufflinks. Eliza was a vision in her light summer dress, the attire of those not in the wedding party had been suggested casual, but her smile was her most noticeable feature. She was dabbing her eyes as she took in Alex and Kara, both protesting loudly that if she didn’t stop they would begin. 

“I am so proud of you Alexandra. Your father and I always imagined this day but this is more than I could have ever pictured. You, my beautiful strong girl, have created a family in front of my eyes. A beautiful and strong family with Sam and today you celebrate that. All I have ever wanted was for my girls to be happy, and to see you both here…” she trails off as she pulls them both in for a hug, all three of them crying openly now as J’onn watches fondly before excusing himself with a promise to be back for Alex once the music starts. He’s in charge of helping Ruby with the twins before the ceremony and has taken to the role of honorary grandpa with great honor. 

Make up is reapplied, sniffles tucked away, hugs given once more before Eliza goes to find her seat and Kara turns to her sister. 

“Are you ready?” She asks, though it seems laughably unnecessary it is still her job and darn it if she isn’t going to do it right. 

“I’m ready,” Alex says holding her hand out for Kara’s. Kara takes it and looks at her sister. Alex stares right back at her and they hold a lifetime of conversations with no words. She smiles once more and wipes non-existent lint from Alex’s shoulder before turning around. 

Kara steps out the door and up to the head of the aisle she is to walk down, turning to the right to wait for Lena to join her. When the door opens Kara silently thanks Alex for the at the time unnecessary rehearsal practice because seeing Lena, Kara forgets how to breathe much less walk at a measured pace to a predetermined location. Lena had kept all details of the dress from Kara’s curious eyes, and in this moment Kara is grateful for the weeks of Lena’s stubbornness if only so she can experience Lena’s beauty for the first time now. Her dress is the same green as Kara’s shirt, dark and shimmering, seeming to move like liquid with each step Lena takes. It’s off both shoulders and has an almost too low to be deemed modest cut that gives Kara the barest hint of Lena’s breasts. It falls just below her knees and flares out a little after the slightly fitted middle. Kara watches Lena make careful steps toward her and feels Lena take her arm, automatically shifting to walk with her toward M’Gann, who is presiding over the ceremony. 

“Breathe Darling,” Lena whispers, a bit of subtle chagrin sneaking into her tone at Kara’s less than subtle appraisal. Kara takes a breath and they make it to their spots, even managing to smile at Eliza in the front row before everyone stands and turns to catch their first glimpse of the brides. 

Alex comes first, J’onn on one side looking at her through shining eyes and pride radiating through his entire being. Alex had asked him to walk her down the aisle and Kara had never seen him as touched as he had been in that moment. In Alex’s other arm was a wiggling 2 year old, who upon seeing all eyes on her turns into the model of appropriate behavior and starts throwing clumps of flowers from her little basket at anyone close to her. The crowd laughs as the three make their way to the front, Alex kissing J’onn on the cheek and thanking him upon reaching her spot and rubbing her nose back and forth with her daughter before handing her to Kara who gracefully accepts the little girl, still throwing petals. 

Kara misses the moment Sam comes out of her room, having chosen to watch her sister see her bride to be for the first time instead. Alex’s entire body lights up from inside and Kara knows the millisecond Sam appears. She looks away, at that point Alex is crying unashamedly as she watches Sam make her way up front, Ruby walking her down the aisle on one side and their final member of the family held in Sam’s other arm. Annah has dumped her entire basket of flowers out it seems and is now trying to pluck petals from the bouquet held in the crook of Sam and Ruby’s elbows. No one notices though. The way Sam and Alex are looking at each other is like gravity, pulling everyone else in just so they can attempt to be witness to such majesty unfolding in front of them. 

Annah is handed off to Lena, Ruby kisses her mom’s cheek before barreling into Alex in a hug and then taking her place beside Lena. The ceremony is simple, and perfect. M’Gann speaks of love crossing galaxies to find each other. Of obstacles never being insurmountable when it’s meant to be. Of family, and the many renditions that she’s been witness to. Everyone is crying before Alex and Sam even begin their vows. 

Alex promises to protect Sam and their family no matter what. She promises to respect and cherish Sam, even when she’s being stubborn. She vows her love her for as long as they have together and then for whatever comes next, before placing the gold band on her finger beside the ring she had given her when the twins were born. 

Sam promises to let Alex protect her even though she is perfectly capable. She promises to be Alex’s safe place when the world gets too loud, when her job gets to be too much, when she needs to escape. She vows her love in the eternity that they have just begun. The band she places on Alex’s finger matches her own, inscribed on the inside of both three dates: the day Alex adopted Ruby, the day the twins were born, and the day they pledge themselves to each other in front of their closest friends and family. 

When they kiss everyone cheers, Ruby pretends to groan while leaning into Lena’s side and wiping her tears, and Sam and Alex seem to forget about those watching until Kara shoves one of their children in between them to break them apart.

The reception is very low key, as was the wedding. The couple dozen guests all know each other and come together to celebrate the union of two of their favorite people. There is laughter and more tears, the brides mooning over each other and speeches. Everyone laughs at Kara’s recalling of the back and forth the couple had gone through to even get to this point. She talks about Alex and her obliviousness, about Sam and her assuredness, about the two of them fitting together perfectly. But it is Ruby who steels the show with a movie she had made of their family through the years, put together to music most of them didn’t know (Ruby was used to being the youngin surrounded by adults even if she was now technically one herself and she considered it her sacred duty to educate the old people about modern music) but with lyrics that spoke to them all. It showed their family, immediate and extended. Pictures of trips and vacations. Moments at home. Candids and ones of them making goofy faces. A collage of where they came from and how they got here. The video ended with a scene from the hospital that no one had known about before. It was shaky and not great quality, obviously taken on a cellphone under the horrible fluorescent lights of a hospital. Alex had been in the hospital bed, exhausted but glowing laying next to Sam as they both looked at the bassinets with their newborn girls. 

“We should probably get married huh?” Sam had muttered almost too quiet for the camera to catch. 

“Probably,” Alex said, nuzzling closer to Sam and never taking her eyes off the babies. 

“I mean, it would make sense,” Sam said, brushing back Alex’s hair from her where the sweat had dried on her forehead and kissing it. 

“Sure would.” 

“So you want to?” 

“Yes, but not today. I’m too tired,” Alex said, eyes drooping as she fell asleep. 

The camera pans to Ruby’s face, shocked and gleeful but also with a good amount of judgment in her eyes. 

“Moms, I get that this was a big day and all but that was literally the worst proposal ever. Obviously I’m going to need to help you with planning this wedding,” she said cheekily before the video cuts off. 

The crowd roars as Alex blushes bright red and makes a threatening gesture towards her daughter who is looking far too proud of herself. Ruby sits, getting a high five from Kara and a wink from Lena and they all begin eating. 

After they have their fill the music starts playing and people take to the dance floor. Winn and James have some sort of contest to out dance each other that lasts until Lena sneaks her way in and blows them both away, to the loud wolf whistle of Kara. No one is self conscious, having been through years of each other’s antics at this point and the mood is of comfort and happiness, helped along with the open bar Kara is sure. 

Lena returns with a couple drinks for her and Kara, though Kara’s won’t do anything for her having opted out of M’gann’s offer of alien liquor she still loves the taste, and sits in a chair for a moment before Kara is up in front of her, hand extended. 

“May I have this dance?” 

“Of course love,” Lena returns smiling and letting herself be pulled onto the dance floor as a slower song comes on over the speakers. 

Kara pulls Lena close, their bodies fitting together perfectly after so many years doing just this. Kara loves dancing with Lena and will twirl her around wherever they happen to be as often as she can. No matter what music happens to be playing they always end up with their bodies as close together as possible, hips bumping and breasts brushing. Lena lays one hand on Kara’s chest and lets her head fall onto Kara’s shoulder. Kara holding her other hand before placing it on her opposite shoulder and wrapping both her arms around Lena’s lower back. They sway together, getting lost in the feel of their bodies and the world that has narrowed to the two of them. Lena’s heels had been abandoned as soon as the actual ceremony was over, her stocking feet making their height difference more apparent and Kara rests her head on top of the crest of Lena’s own, smelling her conditioner and her own scent underneath. 

“Do you still want this?” Lena whispers, breaths playing across Kara’s chest as she had unbuttoned the top of her shirt not long ago. 

“Yes,” Kara speaks into Lena’s hair, watching the silky strands sway as their bodies rock back and forth. Lena’s hair had been in an updo that had left Kara helpless but to keep sneaking longing glances at the elegance of Lena’s neck, looking so delicious and neglected as Lena had put a ban on all marks the moment they touched down in National City. But Kara had too hard a time leaving her hair alone, over the course of the night she had pulled the pins out until the soft waves came down in her fingers. 

“Do you miss home?” Lena asks, curiosity in her voice but no condemnation. It wasn’t the first time the question had come up for either of them but in this moment it seemed louder. 

“I miss it all the time but it doesn’t mean I don’t love what I’m doing. What we’re doing.” 

“Would you come home if you had the chance?” 

Kara pauses them mid spin until they are standing still in the middle of the dance floor, the people around them continuing to dance moving past them as a river would when encountering a rock. She waits for Lena to bring her head from Kara’s chest and look at her, almost expecting to see the insecurity that has been missing for so long in their relationship. She doesn’t though. She sees a clear eyed and strong Lena looking at her and waiting for her reply. She wishes again she could show her girlfriend how far she has come, they have come, from when they first set out together years ago. 

She leans in and brings their lips together, kissing her softly whispers of I love you, and I choose you in each touch. Lena’s hands come up to hold Kara’s face to hers as her mind swirls. Kara had turned on the dampener during the ceremony, the first time in a long time she had chosen to use it but she wanted that time to be about nothing but Alex and Sam and how much she loved them. As soon as it had ended she had taken it off again and tucked it into Lena’s bag. She has come a long way since she first got this power, incorporating it into her everyday life until it wasn’t something she even thought about anymore. She finally embraced it and now uses it to help people as she had the little boy so long ago who was too scared to tell him her story. She helps people in smaller ways than Supergirl did but she gets to know people more, an exchange she could never regret. Lena’s thoughts surround her, memories and feelings and comfort as their lips slot together but neither deepens the kiss quite aware of their current surroundings. 

When Kara pulls back to take a breath she watches Lena slowly blink into presence. The way her eyelids seem unwilling to open again, holding onto that last moment of intimacy before greeting the world. Kara smiles and kisses her quickly once more before bringing their foreheads together. 

“There is no home if it doesn’t include you Lena. Coming home has never been just a place for me. National City is my home because of Alex and Eliza, Cat and James and Winn and J’onn. It’s where they are. But my truest home is with you Lena. There would never be a place for me here if you weren’t.” 

_”So I’m not holding you back?” _Kara knows some things are easier when not said out loud. There is not a soul on this Earth or any other planet who is in control of their thoughts all the time and she would never fault Lena for worrying. She worries too. But Kara makes it her duty every single day to assure Lena and keep her safe, in every way that counts, just as she does for Kara.__

____

____

“Lena, you have never held me back for a moment. You have given me so much that I would never have received if not for you. You showed me so much, of the world and of you my love. You are my world Lena, you are where I want to be.” 

Lena pauses, little smile playing at the edges of her mouth and Kara sees herself in the previous moments in Lena’s mind. Her beautiful mind, so full of complexities that rival the most difficult subjects in this or any world, but also hold the essence of the woman she loves most. She loves learning about the tangential pathways of Lena’s thoughts. She loves being surprised by her reactions. She loves seeing the world through Lena’s lenses, each day spent with her making Kara into a better person. 

“But someday?” 

“Someday yes. Someday if this is where we are meant to return to we will. But I’m not biding my time Lena. The last four years have been more than I ever could have imagined. I have loved what we’ve done, what we’ve seen,” Kara tells her, watching Lena accept her words as truth and seeing their lives play through Lena’s mind. 

“Me too. But if you don’t stop speaking such sweet words from your honey tongue I’m going to have to redo my makeup. Again. Let’s show these people how to party,” Lena says, tone much lighter and mind moving to a memory of an Irish pub visited a couple years back. Lena remembers dancing on top of the bar, chugging dark beer with locals, her accent that was barely noticeable before coming out thicker and thicker the longer they spend in the country. Kara laughs, blushing at memories flashing across Lena’s mind of later that night and words said sexily in an accent that Kara never knew she needed in her life. They start dancing again with exuberance, making others jump out of their way as they spin and spin. 

Over the next few hours the party runs its course, finally settling down in the early morning, most people having gone home long ago, wishing the brides health and happiness and making their way to the car service that would take them home or to a hotel depending on their preference. 

Those left were family. Eliza, J’onn, and M’Gann talking quietly at a table a few down from Kara and Lena’s own. Hushed voices as to not disturb the two sleeping toddlers who had built some sort of fort under the table of leaves and flowers and conked out after sneaking far more than one slice of cake a piece. Winn was looking like he was halfway to sleep himself, James trying to continue whatever conversation they were having lying on the ground in the middle of the dance floor and watching the stars but yawning deeper and deeper every couple minutes. Alex and Sam were in each other’s arms, still dancing somehow, though moving less and less with every passing hour. They had spent the entire night at each other’s sides, barely willing to allow separations for partial songs in the arms of anyone else before one or both of them gravitated back toward the other. They stared into each other’s eyes now, happy in their world of serenity, occasionally coming together for soft kisses but mostly just looking at each other ensuring this was reality. 

Lena was leaning heavily into Kara, having abandoned her own chair and settled into Kara’s lap when they had finally retired from the dance floor. Kara could see her eyes still moving across the clearing, from different members of their family in between blinks that took longer and longer to open her eyes from. Kara was holding her close, keeping her warm under the makeshift blanket that was Kara’s jacket and playing with the waves of her hair that had long since lost their curl. Eventually they will all go to bed, but none of them seem quite ready to let this day end yet. 

Ruby comes over to their table, smiling and greeted by her sleepy aunt who motions for her to sit when she hesitates a moment. 

“How you doing Rubes? Was it everything you imagined?” Kara asks. 

Ruby laughs, Kara staring at this person in front of her who has grown into a beautiful young woman in her absence. She knows she hasn’t actually been absent, her and Lena in fact seeing Ruby more than almost anyone else in their family for her tendency to show up unexpectedly. As cliché as she knows it to be she can’t help compare this Ruby to the little girl she first met long ago. So much of who Ruby is hasn’t changed, her intelligence, her determination, her cheeky humor, her ability to turn them all on their heads but she had matured as well. She was an amazing older sister to the two little ones, this Kara is not surprised by at all since Ruby is lucky enough to be learning from the best older sister in the world in Kara’s completely biased opinion. Ruby is the best of their family, she loves as freely as Kara, is as protective as Alex, as whip smart as Lena, and as strong as Sam. Kara hopes that someday she can get half as lucky if her and Lena decide to have their own children. 

“Thank god you two came home, I swear Alex was going to keel over before you showed up,” Ruby laughs good naturedly as she takes a sip of Lena’s leftover wine. Drinking age had never been strictly enforced in her home, her parents and aunts who were more a second set believing more in letting her prove herself to be responsible than micromanaging things. 

“You did good holding down the fort kid. From the looks of your video you’ve probably been planning this longer than them,” Kara laughs as she kisses Lena’s head when she stirs enough to sit up and become a more active part of the conversation. 

“What’s on your mind love, I’ve seen that look many times before Ruby Arias,” Lena teases, glaring a moment at her empty wine glass before reaching for Kara’s instead. 

“I want to go with you guys.” 

“Well summer is about to start, you can come with us until you go to college,” Kara says, not understanding why Ruby’s tone is one so serious when she has spent plenty of summers traveling with them before. 

“I deferred college,” Ruby says voice sturdy. 

“Does Sam know?” Lena asks calmly, her relaxed state seeping into Kara as well. 

“Yes but Alex doesn’t,” this time Ruby’s voice wavers the tiniest bit as she catches Kara’s eye. Kara tries reaching for her hand but respects when Ruby moves back minutely, wanting to say aloud what she wants instead. 

“Why?” Lena asks, playing witness to their exchange. 

“I don’t know what I want to do and I don’t want to sit in general education classes and hope I find it. The best way to discover what you’re passionate about is to experience as much as possible and see where your heart pulls you,” Ruby says, getting more enthused as she continues, inflating with the surety of thought. 

“Who gave you such wise advice?” Lena asks, though her smile is already creeping out from behind her lips and Kara can hear the hint of laughter in her tone. 

“You did Aunt Lena,” Ruby says, rolling her eyes dramatically before continuing, “When you called me from Brazil last year during Carnival, you were drunk but even then you’re still the smartest person I know. I want to find my passion like you found yours.”

Kara tightens her grip around Lena’s waist and kisses the back of her neck, moving Lena’s hair to the side to whisper into her ear, “She’s right you know? We can’t really stand in her way when it’s your advice she’s following.”

Lena turns her head to kiss Kara properly, smiling and acknowledging the end of all protestations. They turn to Ruby, who is waiting in a way that Kara is sure is supposed to look nonchalant and tell her when Alex and Sam get back from their honeymoon they will all talk.  
_________________________________________

A month later they are all back to the same airport Kara and Lena had touched down at. This time the sun is bright overhead and they are leaving instead of coming home, with an extra passenger in tow as well. 

Alex, Sam, and the twins have come to see them off though the parents attention was currently more focused on corralling the girls than saying goodbye to the three of them. Annah had taken off as soon as she was set on the ground, only to be followed by Nicole who had all but flown out of Alex’s arms to everyone’s horror. She landed perfectly gracefully and sped off to catch her sister. Alex and Sam had met Kara and Lena’s eyes and Kara didn’t need mind reading powers to see the thoughts jump around in Sam and Alex’s heads. Looks like the girls would be coming into their powers a lot sooner than anyone expected. 

Ruby, Kara, and Lena watch the frantic moms and laugh before taking off to lend a hand. Perks of Lena having a private jet was it didn’t mind adjusting the scheduled take off time just because some terrors had gotten loose at the last minute. 

They finally catch the girls and start the round robin style hugs that have Ruby rolling her eyes again as her moms continue to hold onto her long past when she has started pulling away. It had been a very easy conversation when Sam and Alex had gotten back from Thailand. Ruby had outlined her reasons for wanting to go with Lena and Kara, anticipating all counter arguments with talking aids written point for point on note cards depending on how she was received. Turns out she needn't have spent so much time preparing when the response turned out to be Alex pulling her into a tight hug and whispering she was proud of her (which Kara pretended she wasn’t listening in on, as well as the sniffle from Ruby) and Sam joining them in sentiment and hug. Ruby, like most teenagers, wasn’t the model of subtle and covert and both her moms had known far before then what her intentions were. 

The actual goodbyes are much more dramatique, but that comes with being part of this family. Lena and Kara wait, holding hands and watching the five of them hold each other and make promises that were unnecessary considering how easy it would be for Ruby to come home whenever she wanted, or any of the others to come see her. Not to mention FaceTime and other perks of modern technology, but again, it was a Danvers thing. 

“You want that someday?” Lena asks, playing with Kara’s fingers as the slight breeze rustled around them, bringing the last scent of her ocean Kara would have until they next came back. 

“I think so,” Kara responds, eyes taking in the amount of love that was capable in front of her, “You?” 

“When the time comes yes. It’ll be another adventure love, but I’m not quite ready to give this one up just yet,” Lena says lightly, turning away from the little family still saying goodbye and looking in Kara’s eyes. 

Kara watches Lena’s eyes trace her face before landing on her lips and she moves forward to capture them. Kara accepts her kiss, soft lips touching hers before she’s hit with an image of a child with eyes as blue as a world lost when a planet exploded but with dark hair and a chin that even beneath the chub of childhood showed signs of devastating definition. She pulls back enough to look at Lena’s eyes, wondering if the image came from her mind or Lena’s. The eyebrow, that damn eyebrow that had been her constant vexation for many years now arches and Kara could do nothing but dive in for a much deeper kiss this time. Willing an answer to come but instead met with a breathy sigh and the beginnings of a moan released from Lena’s mouth into her own. 

“Seriously guys! You haven’t gotten any better at this???” Ruby says trying to brush past them into the jet. 

Kara pulls back from Lena laughing and stops Ruby so they can all turn and wave goodbye to Alex, Sam, and the girls. 

“Nah Rubes, we’re pretty much still the same. Don’t worry, we’ll get you your own house each place we go.” 

Ruby scrunches her face at the implication and looks pleadingly at Lena. 

“I wouldn’t say that Darling, I think we’ve all changed quite a bit in the last half decade,” Lena says as she kisses the knuckles of Kara’s hand that is not being used to wave enthusiastically at the family who have gotten into their car and are starting to pull away. 

“You’re right, we definitely aren’t the same people who stood here four years ago. I mean we are much more clothed for one thing.” 

Ruby groans loudly as Kara and Lena laugh at her flushing face and hurries to move up the stairs. 

_What have I gotten myself into??? _Kara hears before Ruby moves beyond where her hand can reach.__

____

____

“An adventure,” she answers, though Ruby is already inside the jet, Lena following after her. Lena pauses at the top, looking back over her shoulder and waiting for Kara to join her, hand extended and eyes soft. Kara rises to meet her, and after taking one last look at her sister disappearing from view down the road she kisses Lena, the engines to the jet coming noisily to life around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is guys, the end. I wrote the first chapter of this expecting it to be a kooky one shot about mind reading and identity reveals and here we are 9 chapters and 70k words later. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has joined me on this journey, I am genuinely sad to see it end. Alas there are more stories to be written and I am excited for what comes next. 
> 
> The biggest thank you goes out to two people though. Spicycheese, my beta, my cheerleader, my friend. I know you keep telling me I don’t have to thank you all the time but really dude, you’re the best.  
> Secondly to a new friend whose enthusiasm and wonderful comments kept me eagerly writing and engaged. Thank you for your unending kindness and support.

**Author's Note:**

> I’m starting on a new multi chapter work so I might not be posting as many one shots but sometimes I can’t resist.  
> I’m kind of also considering adding another part to this if people enjoy it. We shall see.  
> Find me on tumblr if you’re so inclined Nataliawhite92.  
> Thanks for reading :)


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